Verna (Goa): Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at a public rally in South Goa on August 17, 2026, mocking Union Home Minister Amit Shah, questioning the BJP-RSS contribution to India’s freedom struggle, and accusing the state’s ruling party of ‘kidnapping’ MLAs to form its government.

He attacked the BJP and RSS, questioning their contribution to the freedom movement and accusing them of being ‘anti-India’ and ‘anti-religion.’

Congress President said that the BJP repeatedly talks about the Gandhi family and Sonia Gandhi. Drawing a contrast in political experience, he said that he had been an MLA even before Union Home Minister Amit Shah was born.

Taking a dig at Shah, he said, ‘When I became an MLA, Amit Shah was not even born yet. How old is he? Is he 57 or 58? These people are 56 or 57 years old. Our people fought for the freedom of the country. You fought? Tell me. Which BJP man fought for the freedom of this country? Which RSS man fought for the freedom of this country? And we are not patriots? These people are against the country. Anti-India. You are anti-India.’

The Congress President also accused the BJP of being ‘anti-religion.’ AICC President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge alleged ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification ritual) conducted at a venue in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, following a public rally addressed by him.

Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge said, ‘You are anti-religion. You are anti-religion because when a man like me goes to Uttarakhand and speaks in front of lakhs of people, after two days, you do purification. Is it not the same in this country? Where is your religion? Your religion teaches this? Your people teach this? Your gurus, they teach like this? Where is your Golwalkar Guruji? Where are your other teachers who taught you? Have they taught only this? Do purification.’

Highlighting the contributions of Congress leaders to the independence movement, Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge said that Mahatma Gandhi dedicated his entire life to the freedom struggle, while Jawaharlal Nehru spent 14 years in jail. He asserted that no other Party could match that legacy.

He further alleged that the BJP was damaging the country by promoting division instead of unity. He accused the party of ‘setting fire’ and creating unrest, calling it their primary mode of politics. ‘For this country, Mahatma Gandhi ji, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji, the contribution they have, that much contribution, no one else has. For 14 years, Nehru ji was in jail. Mahatma Gandhi ji, after giving up his entire life, fought for the freedom of the country. Are we not patriots? You yourself are not a patriot. If you were a patriot, you would talk about unity. If you were a patriot, you would talk about moving together. If you were a patriot, you would talk about secularism. But you, you are the people who destroy the country. You are the people who fight. Fight as much as you can. Set fire. Put petrol. Fake petrol. Set fire to everything. This is their job,’ he added.

Congress President, who said he has spent 56 years in public life, nine terms as an MLA, four as an MP, and two as a Rajya Sabha member credited his political longevity to the Congress Party. ‘I became an MP four times. I became a member of the Rajya Sabha twice. And I got all this because of Congress. And I never gave up. I faced a lot of problems. In my childhood, my mother died. My brother died. My sister died. Everyone burnt my house down. I was the only one left. I’m still alive,’ he said.

Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge urges voters not to support ‘traitors’

Shifting focus to Goa, Congress President accused the BJP-led government of coming to power through defections. He urged voters to reject leaders who ‘make fun of you and loot you.’ ‘Get rid of these people who make fun of you. As long as these people who make fun of you, who loot you, come to you, then tell them that there are no people who give employment here. You come to make fun of them. We don’t have a place. We have a place for those tourists who protect the culture of Goa. That tourist has a place. This is the government of thieves. Because the MLA you gave by winning. You support it. This means which government should have become the government? The Congress. So they destroyed and made their government,’ Congress President said. Shri Mallikarjun Kharge also attacked Congress leaders who have left the Party and joined the BJP, urging voters not to support them. He highlighted several issues during his address: He claimed that 10 of Goa’s 12 state ministers are former Congress leaders who joined the BJP. He said that voters should not support those who “betrayed” the Congress.

He questioned the purchase of land in Goa by wealthy people from major cities and asked whether such acquisitions benefit local residents. He opposed allowing outsiders to buy land and build houses at arbitrary prices, alleging that this could exploit local people.

He said that Goa should welcome tourists who respect and protect the state’s culture.

Calling for unity, Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge asked Party workers to work booth-wise and send a strong message.

‘That is why I request you to be one and work booth-wise. And show them that we are not cowards. You stole our MLA people. We will bring double the MLA people. Tell them this. Be one. If there is unity, everything is there. If there is no unity, these people will keep destroying. Everything is in unity. There can be diversity, but unity is needed,’ he added.

The Congress currently holds three of the 40 seats in the Goa Assembly, with Yuri Alemao serving as the Leader of the Opposition. The Party had secured 11 seats in the 2022 Assembly elections, but eight of its MLAs subsequently crossed over to the BJP.