A fiery exchange unfolded in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday during a discussion on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack, as Leader of the House J P Nadda withdrew and apologized for remarks accusing Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge of “losing his mental balance.” The comment followed Kharge’s hour-long speech, which included remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Nadda deemed objectionable and sought to have expunged.

Kharge, supported by Opposition benches, strongly protested Nadda’s “mental balance” remark, calling it shameful and demanding an apology. “Nadda is a minister I respected, but his words are unacceptable,” Kharge said. Nadda promptly retracted his statement, saying, “I have taken back my words, and if they hurt Kharge’s feelings, I apologize.” However, he maintained that Kharge’s emotional remarks against Modi, whom he called “the world’s most popular leader,” crossed limits and should be expunged, citing Kharge’s stature and experience.

Nadda urged the Chair to remove Kharge’s comments, arguing they did not reflect the Congress leader’s standing. The spat, which intensified tensions between the NDA and Opposition, drew mixed reactions on X. BJP supporters, using #NaddaVsKharge, backed Nadda’s defense of Modi, while Congress leaders like Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP of disrespecting Kharge, an 83-year-old Dalit leader. The incident, occurring amid debates on India’s security strategy post-Pahalgam, underscores the polarized atmosphere in Parliament, with the Opposition leveraging the terror attack to critique the government’s policies.

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