Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge is facing criticism again after he accidentally mispronounced the names of President Droupadi Murmu and former President Ram Nath Kovind during a speech in Chhattisgarh. While speaking at an event in Raipur on Monday, Kharge mistakenly called President Murmu “Murma ji” but quickly corrected himself. Soon after, he made another mistake by calling former President Kovind “Covid,” which led to strong reactions, especially from the BJP.
“Murma iss Desh ki Rashtraaaa……… President hai, usko bulaya”@kharge doesn’t even know the name of President of India 😳 thoughts? pic.twitter.com/D7o01IbslS
— BALA (@erbmjha) March 7, 2024
Kharge made these slip-ups while talking about the cutting down of trees in Chhattisgarh. He accused the BJP and its industrialist friends of taking tribal land and destroying natural resources like water, forests, and land. He said, “They (BJP) say they made Droupadi Murmu President and Ram Nath Kovind President, but why? To take our resources, our forests, water, and land. Today, big businessmen like Adani and Ambani are taking over these resources.”
The BJP quickly used these mistakes to attack Kharge and criticize him further and said Kharge insulted President Droupadi Murmu and former President Ram Nath Kovind by using “offensive” words. The BJP also demanded that he and his party apologise publicly.
#WATCH | Delhi: BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia says, “The objectionable words used by Mallikarjun Kharge for President Droupadi Murmu show the anti-tribal mindset of the Congress party. They have disrespected former President Ram Nath Kovind also…Everyone is condemning… pic.twitter.com/0VU4AeikIf
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2025
On Tuesday, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia held a press conference where he said Kharge’s words showed the Congress party’s “anti-Dalit, anti-Adivasi, and anti-Constitution” thinking. Bhatia said, “You (Kharge) talk big, but you called Ram Nath Kovind ji ‘Covid’ and called President Murmu ‘Murma ji.’ You even accused her of becoming President to steal land and forests.” Bhatia asked Kharge to apologise for making “insulting and disrespectful” comments. He also said Kharge’s words had hurt the feelings of Dalit and Adivasi communities.
The BJP spokesperson demanded not only an apology from Kharge but also from the entire Congress party. He also suggested that Congress workers should make Kharge resign from his post as party president. Bhatia warned that if they did not apologise, people across the country would show their anger, and this mistake would harm Congress badly. He also called Kharge a “remote-controlled” president, saying that he made these comments because of instructions from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.
