Countless Indians harbour the same desire. For Kharge, it is a fervent wish as Modi is a hurdle in the way of Rahul Gandhi and must be around to see the coronation of Rahul Gandhi as India’s Prime Minister. As Congress party president, Kharge feels responsible. So, he spoke out of conviction, the dizziness notwithstanding.

It must have been in his mind, till the spell of dizziness brought it out. The words dogging his mind slipped to the fore from the back of his mind – his urge to see the back of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is a legitimate desire. But no, the BJP had to make a big issue out of Kharge expressing his wish that he wouldn't die before Narendra Modi is ousted.

It was plain and simple politics, “standard politics”, why the big brouhaha? After all, Prime Minister Narendra Modi must also have some unfinished business left to complete before he goes to meet his Maker. The drug is not yet made for immortality, though the Vedas and Puranas and countless other scriptures say a lot about the undying business of dying!

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, for example, spoke of Kalyug setting a limit of up to 125 years as the age of a human being, stating that Kharge need not fret as like all beings, the Congress president could also live to be 125 and not fall off the podium on a sunny Jammu day.

Rajnath Singh wished Kharge well but also said that Modi would give Kharge everlasting company! Union Home Minister Amit Shah was less flattering. The burly Shah sought to give Kharge the ‘Best Player’ award without ICC Boss Jay Shah's nod. Shah, in fact, set Mallikarjun Kharge for the kill as other BJP and NDA leaders joined the fray, choosing to overlook that Kharge had mentioned that he was 83 and feeling dizzy.

The heartless manner in which Kharge was attacked was a new low. The Congress president had spoken of his death and not that of Modi. What if somebody turns around and asks Modi to quit so that Mallikarjun Kharge dies? Lok Sabha elections 2024 did not work. Now a couple of sentinels are Modi's crutches.

People who were convinced Modi should go were convinced when Rahul Gandhi took out his two Bharat Jodo Yatras. Those who voted for keeping Modi for a third term should know that living to the age of eighty and more is a wonderful time to hoard wishes. Kharge’s wish is to send-off Narendra Modi, for "the good of the Congress and for the good of India.”

There were Congressmen calling for “Modi Teri Kaber Khudegi” but something as low as even that wasn’t taken amiss as was Mallikarjun Kharge’s comment. Kharge wasn't even making a political statement. He spoke in a manner which common folks understand. People keep saying “Tab tak nahi marunga, jab tak…” day in and day out in different contexts.

After a dizzying episode was perhaps the first time, but it cannot be the last time. Mallikarjun Kharge shouldn’t be penalized if he happened to be the first one to allude to the end of Modi-rule and linked it with his stay in this world. It is not Kharge's fault that the BJP can't think of life beyond Modi.

There are millions of Indians who want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go! Among them those who vote for the Congress and believe Congress leaders have a duty to oust Modi from the Prime Minister's chair. Is the end of the Narendra Modi reign near?

What’s wrong with that? Kharge did not abuse Modi. He just mentioned in his dizziness that he will be around till as long as Modi is around. Kharge’s goal is also the Congress goal. But for Nitish Kumar and N Chandrababu Naidu, Modi wouldn't be ruling. But anything can happen from today and Mallikarjun’s final farewell. If one of them is Modi’s departure, what’s so wrong about it?

Accusing the Congress president of using unrefined words is only an accusation. Kharge took a tremendous risk of being slandered – Kharge is being told that freedom of speech isn’t his right. How should Kharge, speaking of the timing of his own death, be insulting to Prime Minister Modi?

“Yesterday, the Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Khargeji has outperformed himself, his leaders and his party in being absolutely distasteful and disgraceful in his speech. 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,” Union Home Minister Shah posted on X.

Shah assumed a whole lot of things from Kharge’s remarks: Hate for Modi to fear of Modi and “they (Congress) are constantly thinking” of Modi. “As for the health of Khargeji, Modiji 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.”

All this because Kharge felt dizzy and said he was 83 years old and not going to die so early; that he will stay alive till PM Modi is removed from power. Now, the BJP has gone to dizzying heights to latch at another opportunity to paint Modi a victim, which always buys Modi and the BJP votes without spending a rupee! Is the Bharatiya Janata Party bereft of issues and does it stand on a weak plank where the Pine grows to dizzying heights? (IPA Service)