New Delhi erupted in political drama on Thursday as Rajya Sabha MP Lahar Singh Siroya delivered a stinging rebuttal to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark calling him a ‘migrant’ during a budget debate. The exchange highlighted deep-seated tensions over regional identities in Indian politics.
Siroya, representing Karnataka, took to social media platform X to express his anguish. ‘When I was speaking on the Union Budget yesterday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge labeled me a “migrant,” implying I’m an outsider in Karnataka,’ he posted. Born in Rajasthan but having made Karnataka his lifelong home, Siroya emphasized his deep roots in the state. ‘My birthplace is Rajasthan, but my karma bhoomi is Karnataka. I’m prouder to be a Kannadiga than a Rajasthani,’ he declared.
The MP recounted his journey, arriving in Karnataka as a child and integrating fully into its culture, thanks to the warmth of its people. Yet, he questioned if his Rajasthani origins constitute a crime. ‘Have I not assimilated completely? Is honoring my roots wrong?’ Both states, he noted, boast glorious histories and great leaders.
Turning the tables, Siroya pointed to Kharge’s own background. ‘Kharge ji was born in Gulbarga, part of the Nizam’s Hyderabad then. He studied in Hyderabad too. Only after linguistic reorganization did it become part of Mysore state. Does that make him a migrant?’ The pointed query drew attention to perceived double standards.
Siroya’s sharpest barb targeted Sonia Gandhi, who sits beside Kharge in Rajya Sabha. ‘If I’m an outsider, is Sonia Gandhi, whom Kharge sees as his leader, an insider or outsider? Was Italy ever part of India? Rajasthan always was, and Sonia was elected to Rajya Sabha from there. Is she an outsider in Rajasthan?’ This provocative question amplified the controversy, forcing a reflection on what defines belonging in diverse India.
The episode unfolded amid Siroya’s speech on Karnataka’s development and budget allocations. Kharge’s interjection has sparked debates on nativism versus nationalism, with BJP supporters rallying behind Siroya’s eloquent defense of personal identity over parochial politics. As the monsoon session progresses, this clash underscores the enduring fault lines in federal politics.