The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Bihar unit has lodged a formal complaint against Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, accusing him of making offensive remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during a televised interview.
The complaint was submitted on Sunday at the Kotwali police station in Patna by a BJP delegation led by Danish Iqbal, who serves as the state party’s media in-charge. The BJP has called for the immediate registration of an FIR against Kumar, currently serving as the Congress’ All India in-charge for the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the party.
In a statement to the media, Iqbal alleged that Kumar used “abusive and objectionable language” when referring to both the prime minister and the RSS during an interview that aired on April 11. “Kanhaiya Kumar, known for his affiliations with what we call the ‘tukde tukde gang’, made highly offensive comments targeting PM Modi and the ideological roots of the BJP. His words are deeply disrespectful and intolerable,” Iqbal stated.
“We are confident that the police will take swift action by registering an FIR and initiating a proper investigation,” he added.
The controversy stems from a clip of Kumar’s interview that has been widely circulated on social media. In the video, Kumar refers to Prime Minister Modi as a “Sanghi,” a term commonly used to denote affiliation with the RSS. When the interviewer questioned whether he was using the term as a derogatory label, Kumar doubled down on his stance, asking pointedly, “What language should I use for those who killed Mahatma Gandhi?”—a reference to Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Gandhi and a figure often associated with right-wing extremism.
The BJP has taken strong exception to the remarks, viewing them as an attempt to malign its ideological foundation. Meanwhile, supporters of Kumar argue that his comments reflect long-standing criticisms of right-wing politics and are protected under freedom of expression.
The matter has now been handed over to the local police, and further developments are expected in the coming days as authorities assess the legal implications of Kumar’s remarks.
