Union Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday over his remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a poll rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Jasrota.
While addressing the rally, Kharge suffered a "syncopal attack" after which he halted his speech but resumed shortly and said he would not die so early and would stay alive till PM Modi is removed from power.
"I am 83 years old. I am not going to die so early. I will stay alive till PM Modi is removed from power," he said.
Reacting to Kharge's remark, Shah said that his speech was "absolutely distasteful and disgraceful." -
"Yesterday, the Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji has outperformed himself, his leaders and his party in being absolutely distasteful and disgraceful in his speech," said the Bharatiya Janata Party leader in a post on X.
"In a bitter display of spite, he unnecessarily dragged PM Modi into his personal health matters by saying that he would die only after removing PM Modi from power," Shah said.
"It just shows how much hate and fear these Congress people have of PM Modi, that they are thinking of him constantly," he added.
The Union minister further said that he prays for Kharge's long and healthy life. "As for the health of Mr. Kharge Ji, Modi Ji prays, I pray and we all pray that he lives a long, healthy life. May he continue to live for many years and may he live to see the creation of a Viksit Bharat by 2047," he said.
On Sunday, PM Modi spoke to Kharge and enquired about his health.
Kharge was taken to Kathua district hospital for a checkup following the episode after which he left for Delhi. Kharge suffered a syncopal attack (fainting), a doctor told reporters, reported PTI.
"He was brought here for evaluation. He was facing increased sweating. We conducted a basic investigation including ECG. He is found absolutely normal," the doctor said.