Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge has hit back at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s comments regarding the tragic violence his family endured in 1948. At a rally in Maharashtra, Adityanath invoked the attack by the Razakars, a militia aligned with Hyderabad's Nizam, accusing Mallikarjun Kharge of being silent on this history to avoid alienating Muslim voters. The attack resulted in the destruction of the Kharge family’s home and the deaths of Mallikarjun's mother and sister.
In his response, Priyank clarified that it was the Razakars, not Muslims as a whole, who were responsible for the violence, rejecting Adityanath's attempt to link the incident to the entire Muslim community. He also emphasized that his father, Mallikarjun Kharge, never exploited the tragedy for political gain, despite the profound personal loss. Priyank further accused Adityanath of using divisive rhetoric to gain political mileage, urging him to focus on winning elections based on the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, instead of sowing societal hatred.
Priyank also rebuked Adityanath’s attempts to question Mallikarjun Kharge's rise in politics, asserting that his father’s political success was built on public service and not victimhood. He warned the Uttar Pradesh CM to "take your hate elsewhere" and emphasized the need for unity in politics.
