Bengaluru, 8 Sept

Opposition JD(S) and BJP flayed Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for “mocking” a farmer in Kalaburagi district.

Kharge’s conversation with a farmer whose crops were damaged by recent floods in the region has gone viral on social media.

In the video, Kharge asks the farmer, “How many acres have you sown?” When the farmer replies, “Four acres,” Kharge responds, “Mine is 40 acres. Mine is worse than yours. You are coming and telling me. You can tell me but mine is worse than yours.”

Kharge goes on to say, “Don’t come here for publicity. I know about it. Green gram, black gram and pigeon peas – all have destroyed. You can at least sustain. We can’t sustain because my losses are huge. Go and ask Modi and Shah.”

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy called Kharge arrogant.

“If a farmer in distress cannot approach you and share his pain, then who else should he turn to?” he said on X. “Your conduct is proof of the traditional arrogance and ego of the Congress.”

Similarly, BJP IT Head Amit Malviya wrote on X: “Next time Rahul Gandhi or Congress pretend to speak for farmers, remind them of this -- their own President mocked farmers' pain and told them not to whine and seek publicity all the time."

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla also accused Kharge of "disrespecting" farmers

Poonawalla also slammed Congress MP Tariq Anwar after a video of villagers carrying him on their shoulders during an inspection of flood-hit areas in Bihar went viral on social media.

Terming it a "sense of entitlement," the BJP leader came down heavily on Anwar asking if he needs a "VVIP protocol" in flood affected areas too.