During a heated debate on the National Education Policy (NEP) in the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks sparked significant controversy. BJP MPs accused Kharge of using unparliamentary language, allegedly directed at the chairperson. However, Kharge clarified that his comments were aimed at the government’s policies.
The contentious remark, loosely translating to “knock someone out,” was later expunged from the records. The uproar intensified as the opposition demanded an apology from Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for his “uncivilised” comments targeting DMK MPs amidst the NEP’s three-language policy debate.
Amid the chaos, Deputy Chairperson Harivansh called upon Congress leader Digvijay Singh to proceed with the discussion. Kharge, however, intervened, accusing the government of dictatorship and reiterating his stance against the NEP. His informal Hindi expression, meant to emphasize the opposition’s resolve, triggered further protests from the treasury benches. Leader of the House JP Nadda condemned the remark as unparliamentary.
Kharge later issued an apology, clarifying that his words were not directed at the chairperson but were a critique of government policies. In a subsequent post on X, he accused the government of divisive politics and called for the resignation of the Education Minister over his remarks, which Kharge claimed insulted a section of the country.
