Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge denounces party MP DK Suresh's 'separate country' remark in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: Leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday denounced the 'separate country' remark made by Congress Lok Sabha MP DK Suresh and said, "If anyone speaks about breaking the country, we will never tolerate it, irrespective of whichever party they belong to".

Kharge said this after Rajya Sabha MP Piyush Goyal raised the matter after Suresh made the 'separate country' remark in the lower house.

Speaking in the house, Goyal has demanded an apology from Mallikarjun Kharge for the statement made by his party MP.

“From Kanyakumari to Kashmir we are united and for India, Congress leaders Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi have sacrificed their lives for the nation. However, if the Lok Sabha MP (DK Suresh) says he has not said so, it should not be discussed", the Congress Chief said.

Congress leader DK Suresh landed in trouble after making an alleged controversial statement of a separate southern nation while attacking the centre on releasing funds for Southern states after Union Budget 2024-25 was presented in Parliament on Thursday.

“Our tax money is being distributed to north India, if we don’t condemn it there might arise a situation where we will have to demand for a separate nation," DK Suresh said while responding to a question on the Interim Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha.

Later, Suresh has issued a clarification for his “separate country for South India" remark, saying the intention behind his statement was to highlight the “injustice in funds distribution" by the BJP-led central government.