Addressing a rally, Kharge had said that people in Kerala were "educated and clever" and could not be misled, unlike those who were "illiterate" in Gujarat and some other places. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday apologised for his recent remarks targeting people of Gujarat, saying his comments were "deliberately misinterpreted" and that he never intended to hurt sentiments. In a post on X, Kharge said, “Some remarks of mine in a recent election speech in Keralam are being deliberately misinterpreted. Even so, I express my sincere regret. It was never my intention to hurt the sentiments of the people of Gujarat for whom I have always had and will continue to have the highest of respect.” The apology comes amid a political row triggered by his remarks during an election rally in Kerala’s Idukki district. Also Read | 'Our Standards Should Not Be Lowered': Tharoor's Advice After Kharge Calls Gujaratis 'Illiterate' The statement sparked sharp reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which termed the remarks insulting and unacceptable. Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised Kharge’s statement, calling it “shameless, demeaning and utterly despicable.” He also asked Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to clarify whether they agreed with the remarks. Prasad questioned whether Kharge deserved to remain Congress president, saying the post had historically been held by leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and demanded that the Congress leadership distance itself from the comment. Reacting to the controversy, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that political discourse should not deteriorate and emphasised the need to maintain standards in public debate. Gujarat deputy chief minister Harsh Sanghavi strongly criticised Kharge’s remarks, calling them an insult to the people of the state and its legacy. He said Gujarat, which has produced leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, would not accept such comments. For the Latest news, India News and breaking stories from around the world, visit Times Now for live coverage and in-depth reporting. Sudhanshu Mishra is a Senior Copy Editor at Times Now. While his day-to-day work centres on news, his writing interests lie in the intersections of cu... View More