'Where did your 56-inch chest go?' Kharge hits back at PM Modi's '56-year-old youth' jab - The Times of India

### Congress Leader Fires Back at PM Modi

In a sharp escalation of rhetoric, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's jibe at him, saying "PM Modi has called me 56-year-old youth, but I want to ask him where did his 56-inch chest go?" The remark is seen as a reflection of the growing tensions between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress party. Kharge's statement was made in the context of the ongoing row over the police crackdown on a protest march by the Citizen's Journalists' Portal (CJP).

The confrontation between PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi, who is visiting students injured during the protest, continues to heat up the atmosphere in the national capital. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of remaining silent over the crackdown on students by the police. Gandhi demanded PM Modi's resignation, along with that of Home Minister Amit Shah, for failing to act on the rising number of crackdowns on peaceful protests. The Congress leader described the crackdown as "completely un-Indian." Gandhi's visit to the injured students is seen as an attempt to raise the stakes and put pressure on the government.

The situation has taken a volatile turn, with both sides exchanging barbs and accusations. PM Modi's jibes at Kharge's age have led to accusations that the prime minister is resorting to personal attacks instead of addressing the issue at hand. As tensions show no signs of easing, the nation is on high alert, waiting for the next salvo in the ongoing showdown between the government and the opposition.