"People won't forget this...," Yediyurappa demands apology from Kharge over 'poisonous snake' remark

Kalaburagi: Bharatiya Janata Party leader BS Yediyurappa on Friday condemned Mallikarjun Kharge's "poisonous snake" remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded apology from the Congress President.
This comes after, Kharge while addressing an election rally in Karnataka's Kalaburagi on Thursday, said, "PM Modi is like a 'poisonous snake', you might think it's poison or not. If you lick it, you're dead." However, Kharge later clarified that what he wanted to say is BJP's ideology is as dangerous as a snake and didn't mean to make a personal attack against PM Modi.
Talking to ANI, Yediyurappa said, "I never expected the Congress President to make such a statement. He should apologise for it. People will not forget this."
Amid the high-decibel campaign for the ensuing Karnataka Assembly elections, Kharge's remark drew a sharp reaction from the BJP, which slammed the "slanderous" statement saying it reflected the "mentality" of the principal Opposition party in the state.
Clarifying his remark, Kharge on Thursday tweeted, "BJP's ideology is divisive, hostile and full of hatred and prejudice towards the poor and Dalits. I discussed the politics of hatred and malice. My statement was neither for PM Modi personally nor for any other person."
"But for the ideology he represents. Our fight with PM Modi is not a personal fight. It is an ideological battle. My intention was not to hurt anyone's feelings and if knowingly or unknowingly someone's feelings were hurt, then it was never my intention," Kharge added.
"Nor has it been the conduct of my long political life. I have always followed the norms and traditions of political correctness towards friends and opponents and will do so till the last breath of my life. I don't make fun of individuals and their problems like people in high positions," the Congress national president said in another tweet.
"I have also seen and suffered the pain and suffering of the poor and downtrodden. For five decades, I have always been opposed to the divisive ideology of the BJP and RSS and their leaders. My political fight was, is and always will be against his politics," Kharge added.
However, his clarification did not wash with the saffron camp as Union Minister for State for Home, Nityanand Rai, hit back at the Congress national president saying that the grand old party is a habitual offender when it comes to defaming PM Modi and the Other Backward Classes (OBC).
Further lashing out at the Congress, the Union MoS said, "Now that the poisonous politics of the Congress have been rejected by the people, their leaders are growing desperate and losing their temper. The people of the country, and especially in Karnataka, will not tolerate the use of such language against PM Modi and will give them a befitting reply in the Assembly election."
BJP leader and Union minister Shobha Karandlaje also demanded Kharge's apology.
Union Minister for Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, also launched a scathing attack on the Congress president, saying he used such words against PM Modi to "appease his political masters".
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Kharge's statement reflects the mindset of the Congress.
Speaking to ANI, Sitharaman said, "It shows the mentality of the Congress. I condemn it. While Rahul Gandhi took out the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' to spread love, as he called it, his party president is using such words against our PM. Mallikarjun Kharge should tender an apology."
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also condemned Kharge's remark, saying the people would teach the grand old party a lesson.
Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister said, "It is highly condemnable. People will teach them a lesson. I demand an unconditional apology from Kharge."
The polls for the 224-seat Karnataka Assembly are scheduled to take place on May 10 and the counting of votes will be done on May 13. (ANI)