Pahalgam Attack: Why BJP's Ravinder Raina faces flak for his snow video with soldiers – ‘reel game on point'

Mint

06-05-2025

Pahalgam Attack: Ravinder Raina, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Jammu and Kashmir is facing opposition flak for posting a snow video with Army soldiers on social media in the aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, on 22 April.
The leaders slammed Raina over the timing of the video coming at a time when the 'entire nation is pained and grieving over this tragic incident' in Pahalgam.
'In Kashmir, terrorists killed 28 of our people. The entire nation is pained and grieving over this tragic incident. But, BJP's former state president and national executive member Ravinder Raina is busy making videos,' the Congress party posted on X.
In the one-minute and 14-second-long video shared by Raina on his social media handles, the former BJP chief of Jammu and Kashmir is seen running alongside uniformed soldiers in the snow.
Raina is shown in the video running in the snow with at least five armed security personnel following him. Raina and others are seen smiling in the video with Aarambh Hai Prachand, the famous Piyush Mishra song from the movie Gulaal, playing in the background. Raina posted the video on X and Instagram on Sunday night with a caption 'Jai Hind'
The Congress party said is clear that Raina is trying to exploit the incident to polish his image on social media. 'It's clearly evident that Ravinder Raina feels no sorrow for this tragic event. Instead, he is trying to exploit it and is focused on polishing his image on social media,' the party said in a post on X.
But, the party said, the BJP leadership and Prime Minister approve of this vulgarity?, asked the Congress calling it shameful.
"Somebody has lost his young son, somebody his father, somebody her husband. And this person is in a frolicking mood? He is shooting reels? Misusing security personnel? Where do they get so much shamelessness? Is insensitivity the BJP's character?" senior Congress leader Supriya Shrinate asked tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief JP Nadda.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also lashed out at Raina over the video, saying that protecting BJP leaders appears to be the real priority instead of borders.
'Reel game on point. If you have this kind of security, then of course a reel must be made,' Chaturvedi wrote on X.
Raina , 48, is former Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief and current national executive member, A former MLA, Raina lost lost against National Conference (NC) candidate Surinder Choudhary by a margin of 7819 vote
On the video controversy, Raina said that the video was shot in January during severe snowfall in Kashmir.
'I was working closely with our bravehearts to ensure safety of the people of Kernah Valley in district Kupwara of Kashmir, where I was also struck in heavy snowfall at Sadana Pass and with the help of our bravehearts I reached a safer place,' Raina posted on Instagram.
It's clearly evident that Ravinder Raina feels no sorrow for this tragic event. Instead, he is trying to exploit it and is focused on polishing his image on social media.
Raina also accused the Congress party of misrepresenting the video with a 'malicious intent'. 'Unfortunately, the Congress Party with a malicious intent has been misrepresented as recent footage, which (is) nothing but its false propaganda,' he wrote.
Key Takeaways Political leaders must be sensitive to the timing and context of their public communications, especially during national tragedies.
Social media can amplify political backlash when leaders appear to exploit sensitive situations for personal or political gain.
Opposition parties will leverage such incidents to question the integrity and empathy of their rivals.