Pahalgam attack: BJP hits out; says ‘remarks shameful, do Kharge, Rahul control their party?’

Stating that these remarks come at a time when the nation is grappling with grief following the attack that left 26 people dead, Prasad accused the Congress leaders of seeking to “weaken India’s unity”.

He sought to know whether the Congress “truly” stood united with the Government as it had stated during the all-party meeting following the attack.

“What are the Congress’s senior leaders saying (about such statements)? Why are they saying so?… a pattern seems to have emerged… Karnataka CM Siddaramiah has said war is not an option… Pakistan TV channels and their generals are using this,” Prasad told reporters.

Prasad referred to Siddaramaiah’s remark that there was no need for a war; Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur asking “why would someone firing a gun ask about a person’s caste or religion?”; and a statement by Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of the Congress Legislative Party in Maharashtra, asking whether “terrorists have time to ask about religion while shooting?”

Prasad also questioned Vadra’s remarks about Muslims feeling suppressed and Aiyar’s remark that the consequences of the Partition remain unresolved to this day.

Siddaramaiah and Vadra later clarified that their remarks had been misinterpreted. The Congress also sought to distance itself from such statements with the party’s communications in-charge, Jairam Ramesh, posting on X: “They speak for themselves and do not reflect the INC’s views. There should be absolutely no doubt whatsoever at this most sensitive of times that the CWC resolution, the views expressed by Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and Shri Rahul Gandhi (at the all-party meeting) and the views of authorised AICC office-bearers ALONE represent the position of the INC”.

Prasad, meanwhile, said that while the global community, including the US, Russia, Australia, England, Saudi Arabia, Italy and UAE, “are all standing with India”, Congress ministers had claimed “the world is mocking us”.

“Where are these thoughts and words coming from? During the candle march in Bihar, slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ were raised…When asked whether he would visit the house of Shubham Dwivedi (one of the tourists who was killed in the attack), Akhilesh Yadav stated that he has no connection with the family but would encourage his party workers to go there…This is truly unfortunate and deeply regrettable,” Prasad said.

“Do Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have no control over their party?…all these statements are being misused by Pakistan, their social media is full of it…did they speak to Siddaramiah? Will any action be taken? This is not right; we condemn such statements,” Prasad said, reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to give a “befitting reply” to those behind the terror strike.

Taking on Kharge, whom he accused of harbouring “resentment” against Modi, Prasad said, “In reality, Mallikarjun Kharge harbors resentment towards Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, which is why he made the ‘56-inch chest’ remark. At a time when the nation expects unity, Kharge should refrain from using such language.”

BJP Lok Sabha MP Sambit Patra, meanwhile, asked whether such leaders were “Pakistani agents”, and the statements made by Congress leaders “a blatant attempt to lower the morale of the country’s army, the country’s people and the country’s government”.

The BJP’s renewed attack came a day after the party’s national spokesperson, Sudhanshu Trivedi, took on the Karnataka CM for “speaking the same language” as “Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Pakistan’s Home Minister and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister”.