Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Sep 15: In a sharp and scathing critique, rural development minister Priyank Kharge has taken aim at BJP leaders for inciting violence through communal rhetoric, questioning whether they would be willing to send their own children into the streets with weapons in hand.

Taking to social media, Kharge wrote: “The BJP leaders who say ‘behead them’ and ‘break their thighs’ — are they ready to hand over clubs, machetes, and swords to their own children and send them out on the streets?”

'Stop pushing poor youth into political violence'

Kharge further lashed out at the hypocrisy of such leaders, alleging that while they provoke violence in the name of religion, it is children from poor households who are being radicalised, not their own.

“Will they wrap their own children in saffron shawls and send them to protect cows and religion? Instead of pushing the children of the poor into the depths of politics, they should place saffron shawls on their own children’s shoulders and hand them sticks and swords for the cause of ‘protecting religion’,” he wrote.

'Begin religious rhetoric at home'

Taking his criticism a step further, Kharge challenged BJP leaders to practise their preachings at home first.

He said, “Let BJP leaders begin their teachings of ‘religious protection’ from their own homes. Let them give their sons trishul (trident) initiation and arm them with sticks. The RSS says Hindus should have more children — which BJP leader is ready to follow this ‘command’? Should the burden of bearing children be only for the poor, or does it apply to BJP leaders as well?”

Kharge also ridiculed the emotional and ideological manipulation of young Hindu workers by saffron leaders. “Let even one innocent Hindu activist demand that it should be BJP leaders’ own children who go out and raise slogans of violence against others — and say, ‘we’ll stand behind them’ — then you’ll see the true colours and capital of BJP leaders,” he added.

Kharge’s remarks come amid rising concern over hate speech, vigilante violence, and polarising statements being made by right-wing leaders in the state. His post, rich in sarcasm and biting political commentary, has gone viral across platforms, drawing both praise and criticism.