**Congress President Kharge Faces Backlash Over Mispronunciations**
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has come under fire from the BJP after he mispronounced the names of President Droupadi Murmu and former President Ram Nath Kovind during a speech in Chhattisgarh. While addressing an audience at the Science Ground in Raipur, Kharge mistakenly referred to President Murmu as “Murma ji” before quickly correcting himself. Moments later, he mispronounced “Kovind” as “Covid,” further fueling criticism.
Kharge’s comments were made in the context of discussing the extensive deforestation occurring in Chhattisgarh’s forests, where he accused the BJP and its “industrialist friends” of land grabbing. He stated, “Our jal, jungle, and zameen need to be protected, and hence we need to be united… They (BJP) say we made (Droupadi) Murma President, (Ram Nath) Covid (Kovind) President, but why? To steal our resources, our jungle, jal, and zameen. Today, people like Adani and Ambani are occupying it.”
The BJP responded strongly, condemning Kharge’s remarks as “anti-women, anti-Dalit, and anti-tribal.” BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia criticized Kharge for using derogatory terms against President Murmu, stating that the entire tribal community is outraged. Another spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, emphasized that Kharge’s comments reflect a deep-seated animosity within Congress towards the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities.
This incident is not the first time Congress has faced backlash for remarks regarding the President. In 2022, senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury referred to President Murmu as “rashtrapatni,” which sparked significant political controversy. Chowdhury later claimed it was a slip of the tongue, attributing the error to his Bengali background and limited proficiency in Hindi.
As political tensions rise, the implications of such remarks on the Congress party’s relationship with tribal communities and its overall public image remain to be seen.
**FAQ**
**What were the mispronunciations made by Congress President Kharge?**
During a speech in Chhattisgarh, Kharge mispronounced President Droupadi Murmu’s name as “Murma ji” and referred to former President Ram Nath Kovind as “Covid.
