Belagavi- Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge delivered a fiery speech at the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan convention in Belagavi on Tuesday, warning the BJP that Congress is "like fire" and those who meddle with it risk getting burned. He emphasized that the BJP should not provoke the Congress party, while criticizing them for allegedly disrespecting the Constitution and defacing images of national leaders.

In his address, Kharge defended Congress's historical relationship with B.R. Ambedkar, highlighting that it was during Indira Gandhi's tenure that Ambedkar's statue was installed in front of Parliament. He also countered BJP's claims about Ambedkar's defeat, noting that Congress had unanimously elected him twice to the Rajya Sabha, with M.R. Jayakar resigning his seat to facilitate Ambedkar's election.

The Congress President also praised Rahul Gandhi's initiatives like the 'Samvidhan Bachao' movement and 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', while criticizing the BJP-RSS for their alleged role during the independence struggle. He accused the current government of destroying institutions and promoting communal discord, citing RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat's reported concerns about searching for Shivlings under mosques, and called for unity among people to support Congress in upcoming elections.