Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday stepped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of "terrorising" political parties and people by misusing government machinery and central agencies to stifle the opposition.
Addressing a press conference here alongside AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, Kharge initially referred to the Prime Minister as a "terrorist" while criticising the AIADMK's alliance with the BJP.
Questioning how the AIADMK -- a party rooted in the Dravidian ideologies of Periyar (EV Ramasamy) and C N Annadurai -- could justify partnering with PM Modi, Kharge said: "How these AIADMK people, who themselves put the photo of Annadurai... how can they join with Modi? He is a terrorist... he doesn't believe in equality. His party won't believe in equality and justice. And these people are joining with them, it means that they are weakening democracy."
However, when pressed by reporters to clarify the context of the "terrorist" remark, the Congress chief stated he meant the Prime Minister was "terrorising" the democratic fabric of the country.
"He is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist (in the literal sense). Terrorising this... he is misusing his power and government machinery and abusing, malingning opposition parties," Kharge said.
He cited the alleged manipulation of voter lists through "pro form number six and seven" as evidence of this misuse, further alleging that the Prime Minister has the Chief Election Commissioner "in his pocket."
The Congress chief alleged that the Election Commission has become an "extension of the BJP office" and accused PM Modi of violating the Model Code of Conduct in the final stages of the election campaign.
He further claimed that central agencies like the CBI, ED, and Income Tax department were being deployed as tools of intimidation against political workers.
Kharge questioned the timing of recent raids, asking, "Why now only raids taking place during the election. That too against select people, select parties."
Reaffirming the strength of the DMK-Congress alliance, both Kharge and Venugopal dismissed reports of a rift between Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, describing them as "like brothers".
Kharge pointed to Gandhi's extensive "Kanyakumari to Kashmir" and "Manipur to Mumbai" marches as proof of a commitment that surpasses any other leader, dismissing rumours of a rift as "media creation."
"We have a legacy of having an alliance with the DMK for the last so many years," Venugopal added, noting that the two parties "stood like a rock" when the special session was called to "prevent" Tamil Nadu MPs from attending, in an apparent reference to last week's special sitting of Lok Sabha.
He, however, said that Congress and DMK are two different parties with their "own ambitions".
"But whenever the nation was in crisis, we stood like a rock. DMK always supported Congress, Congress always supported DMK," the Alappuzha MP said.
Replying to a question about the Women's Reservation Bill, Kharge accused the Prime Minister of "misleading" the public.
He noted that while the opposition supported the bill in 2023, the government has tied its implementation to a future census and delimitation -- a move he described as a "trap" for progressive states.
"If he truly intends to implement it, he can provide 33 per cent reservation to women within the existing 543 [seats]... Why is he not giving? He only notified the 2023 bill at 3 am on the 16th (of April), which shows his real intentions," Kharge argued.
Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (Women's Reservation Act, 2023) was passed in September 2023.
However, it was not "self-executing".
It contained a clause stating it would only come into force on a date appointed by the Central Government.
On April 16, the government introduced the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, proposing 850 Lok Sabha seats, which also linked women's reservation to the expansion.
However, as the 2023 Act had never been formally notified, the government could not technically move the 2026 amendments to it.
Consequently, the Ministry of Law & Justice issued a gazette notification late at night on April 16, around 9.55 pm.
Furthermore, Kharge challenged the government's legislative strategy, asking why a Constitutional Amendment -- which usually requires a two-thirds majority -- was being pursued with a simple majority.
Venugopal added that the government is attempting to undermine Article 82, which provides a "safety cover" for states' parliamentary representation, by shifting that power to the Delimitation Commission.
He warned that the government's plan for delimitation would "punish" progressive states, particularly in south India, for their success in population control.
"Our population has gone down... can you punish us for following the program of the government," he asked, noting that states with exploding populations would unfairly gain seats.
"They intended to deny the democratic rights of south Indian states, north eastern states, and progressive states. Modi and (Union Home minister Amit) Shah want to punish these states for their progress," he added.
On the campaign trail, Kharge dismissed the influence of other parties, including TVK chief Vijay, reaffirming that the Congress-DMK alliance is the only force capable of protecting Tamil Nadu's identity.
He reiterated the alliance's "key commitments" for the state, including Rs 2,000 monthly assistance for women and senior citizens, Rs 2,500 monthly for families for food security, and a promise to fill all government vacancies within 300 days.
