\"PM is not just a person but an institution on its own,\" says Rajnath Singh

Bengaluru: Hitting out at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his derogatory remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the grand old party is shredding the traditions of a healthy democratic system.

This comes after, Kharge while addressing an election rally in Karnataka's Kalaburagi on Thursday, said, "PM Modi is like a 'poisonous snake', you might think it's poison or not. If you lick it, you're dead."

However, Kharge later clarified that what he wanted to say is BJP's ideology is as dangerous as a snake and didn't mean to make a personal attack against PM Modi.

Addressing a public rally in the poll-bound state, Rajnath Singh said that the PM is not a state but an institution on its own.

"...PM is not just a person but an institution on its own...The manner in which Congress leaders are making personal attacks on the PM, they're shredding the traditions of a healthy democratic system...," he said.

Amid the high-decibel campaign for the ensuing Karnataka Assembly elections, Kharge's remark drew a sharp reaction from the BJP, which slammed the "slanderous" statement saying it reflected the "mentality" of the principal Opposition party in the state.

Clarifying his remark, Kharge on Thursday tweeted, "BJP's ideology is divisive, hostile and full of hatred and prejudice towards the poor and Dalits. I discussed the politics of hatred and malice. My statement was neither for PM Modi personally nor for any other person."

"But for the ideology he represents. Our fight with PM Modi is not a personal fight. It is an ideological battle. My intention was not to hurt anyone's feelings and if knowingly or unknowingly someone's feelings were hurt, then it was never my intention," Kharge added.

"Nor has it been the conduct of my long political life. I have always followed the norms and traditions of political correctness towards friends and opponents and will do so till the last breath of my life. I don't make fun of individuals and their problems like people in high positions," the Congress national president said in another tweet.

"I have also seen and suffered the pain and suffering of the poor and downtrodden. For five decades, I have always been opposed to the divisive ideology of the BJP and RSS and their leaders. My political fight was, is and always will be against his politics," Kharge added.

However, his clarification did not wash with the saffron camp as Union Minister for State for Home, Nityanand Rai, hit back at the Congress national president saying that the grand old party is a habitual offender when it comes to defaming PM Modi and the Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Earlier on Friday, Telangana BJP in-charge Tarun Chugh wrote to the Election Commission urging it to file an FIR against the former and bar Kharge from campaigning in the upcoming Karnataka elections.

BJP and Congress are at loggerheads at poll-bound Karnataka. The polls for the 224-seat assembly are slated to take place on May 10 and the counting will take place on May 13.