Complaints lodged in Dispur and Silchar, alleging provocative statements and violation of election norms
Guwahati: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has filed police complaints against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his alleged remarks comparing the RSS and BJP to a “venomous snake.”
The complaints, lodged at Dispur and Silchar police stations, describe the statement as “derogatory, provocative, and communally sensitive.” RSS functionaries alleged that such remarks could “incite hostility and violence against members and supporters” and disturb public peace.
The controversy stems from when, on April 6, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, while addressing an election rally in Nilambazar under the Karimganj South Assembly Constituency in Sribhumi district, reportedly described the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as “venomous snakes.”
Citing a reference from the Quran, he is said to have remarked that if a venomous snake appears even during prayer, one should stop and deal with it, adding, “The RSS and the BJP are venomous snakes.”
Citing legal provisions, the RSS claimed the remarks could amount to “corrupt electoral practice” under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and may also fall under criminal intimidation.
The statement drew sharp reactions from the BJP, with senior leader Ravi Shankar Prasad demanding an apology. He also questioned whether Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra endorsed Kharge’s remarks, calling the language inappropriate for public discourse.
The BJP echoed the criticism, with several senior leaders stating that the remarks had “crossed all limits of propriety” and demanding an apology from the Congress president.
The development comes amid heightened political tensions in Assam ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for April 9.
Also Read: Assam Elections 2026: Youth Surge, Women Candidates and Key Battlegrounds Shape High-Stakes Contest
