On Thursday, 5th February, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman objected to Congress President and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge using the word “lynch” during his speech in the Rajya Sabha. Speaking during the Budget Session, Sitharaman urged the Chair to remove the term from the official record. “I want the word ‘lynch’ removed. The honourable Leader of Opposition is not right in using that word,” she said.
The FM said she respects Kharge but was taken aback by his statement. “I respect the Leader of the Opposition, but I heard him say ‘you people lynch’. I am sorry, but that word should be removed from the proceedings,” she said. The Finance Minister added that Kharge was not right in using such language in Parliament.
I respect the Leader of the Opposition (@kharge), but I heard him say something – that “you people lynch". I am sorry, but that word should be removed (from the proceedings). The Hon’ble Leader of the Opposition is not right in using that word.
If he is speaking about lynching,… pic.twitter.com/Y2hLSvepsf— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) February 5, 2026
She further said that “If he is speaking about lynching, let me remind him that in Rajasthan, when the Congress party was in power, a tailor was lynched based on a comment made by a BJP spokesperson. Nupur Sharma had made certain comments on television, and a lynching took place. No action was taken when that lynching occurred during their rule.”
Background: The Kanhaiya Lal Case
The Finance Minister was referring to the murder of Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor from Udaipur, Rajasthan. On 28th June 2022, Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal was brutally murdered by two Islamists, Mohammed Riyaz Attari and Gaus Mohammed. They filmed the heinous crime and circulated the video online. The murder was allegedly motivated by a social media post by Kanhaiya Lal in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. Following the post, he received threats and got calls for his arrest.
On 15th June 2022, Lal reportedly filed a complaint with the local police seeking protection. However, the police did not take any concrete action, and he was left vulnerable. Kanhaiya Lal kept the shop shut for a few days after receiving threats. Eventually, he had to open the shop, which led to the attack. The two Islamists were arrested soon after the murder and charged with premeditated murder and criminal conspiracy.