‘I never said PM was a terrorist’: Haq clarifies, ‘Modi is always a threat’; BJP says Congolese leader ‘frustrated’

New Delhi: President of Congress Malikajun Hager Prime Minister mentioned on Tuesday Narendra Modi Dubbed a “terrorist” and later issued a clarification, his comments are expected to spark political controversy during the ongoing election season.Haq made the statement in Chennai on the last day of campaigning for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections slated for Thursday. He criticized the AIADMK for its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.“How can they (AIADMK) join Modi? He is a terrorist. He does not believe in equality. His party will not believe in equality and justice. By joining them, these people are weakening democracy, they are weakening the philosophy of Annadurai, Kamaraj, Periyar, Kalaignar and Baba Saheb Ambedkar,” he said.“The Congress-DMK alliance will continue to deliver welfare, inclusive growth, quality education and accessible healthcare,” he added.Asked about the context of his remarks, the Congress president said he meant the Prime Minister was always a “threat” and pointed to the alleged “abuse” of institutions by the BJP-led government at the Centre.“I want to clarify that Modi is always threatening. Agencies like ED, IT and CBI are in his hands. So, in this case, I say he is intimidating the people and the party,” the senior politician said.Reacting to Haq’s remarks, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya criticized the Congress leader in a post on X, calling it “yet another display of vulgarity”.“This is not the first time that Haqq has brought public discourse to such a low. But his comments not only demeaned himself, but also exposed the Congress party’s consistent practice of abusing and maligning India’s most popular leaders rather than engaging in meaningful debate. When politics degenerates into name-calling, it reflects not strength but deep frustration and a lack of credible alternatives. ” Malvia posted.The AIADMK, the main rival of the ruling DMK, joined hands with the BJP in April 2025 after breaking away from the alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when both parties failed to win any seats in Tamil Nadu. The DMK and its allies swept the state in that election.Counting of votes in all 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu is scheduled to take place on May 4.