BJP slams Congress over Mani Shankar Aiyar's Pahalgam remark: Nothing changed in party, still shielding terror ecosystem
The BJP on Sunday mounted a strong offensive against the
Congress
after senior leader Mani Shankar Aiyar's controversial remarks on the
Pahalgam terror attack
, accusing the opposition party of shielding the "terror ecosystem" and showing "love for
Pakistan
."
Mani Shankar Aiyar's comment sparks outrage
At a book release event held on Saturday, Aiyar reflected on the April 22 terror attack in the verdant tourist spot of Baisaran, Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. He wondered if the tragedy was linked to "unresolved questions of the Partition," suggesting that the divisions that led to India's partition in 1947 continue to have consequences today.
"Is that the unresolved questions of the Partition reflected in the terrible tragedy... in Pahalgam on April 22?" Aiyar said. He further questioned whether Muslims in India today feel 'accepted, cherished and celebrated,' noting that differences in value systems among leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah, and others had led to Partition.
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While Aiyar condemned the attack, his comments were interpreted by the BJP as an attempt to rationalize or shift blame away from Pakistan and terrorist groups.
BJP hits back: 'Congress still shielding terrorists'
Reacting sharply, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said on X, 'Good Cop, Bad Cop, Congress's appeasement continues even on the Pahalgam Terror Attack! After Robert Vadra and Siddaramaiah, now Mani Shankar Aiyar refuses to blame Pakistan and the terrorists!'
Bhandari accused the Congress of not changing its mindset even after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and continuing to "shield the terror ecosystem" while expressing "love for Pakistan." The Congress, at the time of reporting, had not issued an official response to the BJP's attack.
Earlier controversies over Siddaramaiah, Robert Vadra's comments
Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks come in the backdrop of earlier controversies involving Congress leaders. Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah recently said he was "not in favour of war" while commenting on the Pahalgam tragedy, a statement that BJP leaders seized upon as a sign of weakness.
Robert Vadra, husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also drew heavy criticism after suggesting that non-Muslims were attacked because terrorists believe Muslims are being "mistreated" in India, even as he condemned the attack.
The BJP slammed Vadra for "using the language of terrorists" and demanded an apology, accusing the Congress of consistently underplaying Pakistan's role in such attacks.
Emotional symbol: Lt Vinay Narwal's tragic death
Adding an emotional layer to the political battle, BJP's Pradeep Bhandari on Friday visited the family of Lt Vinay Narwal, a young navy officer who was among those killed in the Pahalgam attack.
A heart-wrenching photograph of Lt Narwal's body lying in the Baisaran meadows with his newlywed wife Himanshi Narwal slumped beside him has become the haunting symbol of the tragedy.
After meeting the grieving family in Haryana, Bhandari posted on X, "No words can ease the pain of his wife Himanshi Narwal and his grieving family, but let it be known: India will not forgive!" He further added, "Pakistan will pay for every drop of tear, every drop of blood, every innocent life lost, as PM Narendra Modi ji said, 'Mitti mein mila denge' (will raze them to the ground)."
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