“Gujarat will give befitting reply to Kharge”

Vadodara: The city unit of the BJP has criticised alleged remarks by Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge in which he reportedly referred to the people of Gujarat as "illiterate," saying the state's voters will give a befitting reply in the upcoming local body elections.Vadodara city BJP president Jayprakash Soni said Gujarat had produced great leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Morarji Desai, who played key roles in India's freedom struggle.Kharge later apologised for the remarks in a post on social media on Tuesday, but the BJP has planned protests across the state. Vadodara MP and state BJP youth president Dr Hemang Joshi also reacted on social media, stating that every Gujarati would respond to the comments.A hoarding put up in the city also targeted the Congress, pointing out that former prime minister Indira Gandhi's husband, Feroze Gandhi, was a Gujarati.Responding to a question, Soni said the BJP did not want to make the remarks an election issue but would respond if such statements continued. "We do not want to take any mileage from this, but if such issues are raised repeatedly, what are we expected to do?" he said.