"Pakistan's language": BJP targets Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Op Sindoor; INDIA Bloc says "LoP asking for facts"
New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sharpened its attack on Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi following his remarks accusing External Affairs Minister Jaishankar of being silent on how many aircraft the Indian Air Force lost during Operation Sindoor.
The party has accused the Congress MP of speaking the 'language of Pakistan' after his remarks.
BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan alleged that Rahul Gandhi distrusted the Indian Armed Forces. He further said that the nation deserves a more 'patriotic' Leader of Opposition than the latter.
'Rahul Gandhi has been doubting the nation, the government, and also distrusting the Indian armed forces. Now, he is sounding like the propaganda in chief of Pakistan. Let alone the Leader of Opposition, our nation deserves a more responsible and patriotic parliamentarian than Rahul Gandhi. Pakistan is now parading Rahul Gandhi as a poster boy for Pakistan, and they are peddling Rahul Gandhi's tweets to spin and fabricate an inimical narrative to India and our Indian armed forces,' CR Kesavan said.
Furthermore, Kesavan highlighted the press briefing conducted by the Indian forces on May 11, where they presented all the facts. However, he said Rahul Gandhi won't 'trust' the forces.
'The Indian armed forces, very clearly in their press briefing on May 11th, have categorically, beyond doubt, established all the facts, but Rahul Gandhi does not trust them. The Indian armed forces. He has no faith in what the Indian armed forces said. He continues to rake up nonexistent issues. This shows that the nation never comes first for Rahul Gandhi or the Congress Party... Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party have mortgaged our national interest in favour of cheap political profit and expediency', he added.
Asserting that Rahul Gandhi must ask how many Pakistani planes and missiles were shot down, BJP leader Gourav Vallabh highlighted that the Congress MP won't ask these questions.
'Rahul Gandhi is asking how many Indian planes were shot down; he should ask how many Pakistani planes were shot down, how many Pakistani missiles were destroyed in the air. He will not ask this. He will speak the language of Pakistan', he told ANI.
BJP MP Brij Lal also slammed Rahul Gandhi and termed his remarks 'immature'.
'Such questions are very immature. Operation Sindoor is ongoing... The visits of our Prime Minister and Defence Minister refuted claims by Pakistan of destroying our Adampur and Bhuj air bases... EAM said we destroyed only terror bases and gave the message that we are destroying them only. When Pakistan tried to attack us through Turkish and Chinese drones, our indigenous missiles destroyed them... This is not only the defeat of Pakistan, but also of Turkey and China. We know Rahul Gandhi's admiration of China... Such questions from him depict irresponsible behaviour', Brij Lal told ANI.
While the BJP went on to slam Rahul Gandhi, the INDIA Bloc came out in defence of the Raebareli MP.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate hit back at the BJP and said that attacking the Lok Sabha LoP for asking questions will 'not help'.
Srinate asked why the government 'forewarned' Pakistan about the Operation Sindoor and why she must not believe that Pakistan must have warned 'dreaded' terrorists, Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, which allowed them to flee.
'Many questions arise out of there. Why did you forewarn Pakistan? Were you so trustful of Pakistan that you were sure Pakistan would sit idle and not do anything about it? Why must I not believe that Pakistan warned the dreaded terrorists, which is why Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar fled and were saved? Why must I not believe that you put the Indian Armed Forces in the line of danger? In their press briefings, the armed forces have also said that some losses have been borne by our armed forces as well. Does the country not deserve to know about it?... The Foreign Minister categorically said that we informed Pakistan that we are attacking your terrorist sites and that their Army should sit out... Attacking the LoP for asking questions that the entire country is asking is not going to help', Supriya Shrinate told ANI.
DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said that Rahul Gandhi is just asking about facts and stated that the BJP must come out with a statement on the issue.
'When they are involved in something, they don't talk, they don't even allow a debate in the Parliament... The government does not want the people to know anything because there is something hidden in it. Rahul Gandhi is right... He is just asking for facts. Let BJP come out with a statement, but we all know they won't', he said.
On Monday, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi again questioned External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, accusing him of being silent on how many aircraft the Indian Air Force lost during Operation Sindoor and said that the nation 'deserves the truth.'
'EAM Jaishankar's silence isn't just telling -- it's damning. So I'll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew? This wasn't a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth,' Rahul Gandhi posted on X. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
35 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Beyond the headlines: As HC order on MNREGA gives TMC a boost, BJP says act against ‘corruption' first
After multiple setbacks in court, the TMC-led state government got significant relief as the Calcutta High Court recently directed the Central government to resume the MNREGA scheme in the state from August 1. The BJP, however, has pointed out that while it is 'not against MNREGA scheme,' the onus is on the ruling TMC to first take action against 'corruption' in its ranks. The Centre, through an earlier order dated March 9, 2022, stopped releasing funds for the scheme, citing irregularities under Section 27 of the Act. In May 2023, the Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS), a rural workers' trade union, filed a petition in the High Court challenging the suspension. A Division Bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam and Justice Chaitali Chatterjee noted that while Clause 27 allows the Ministry of Rural Development to withhold funds for a 'reasonable period' in case of irregularities, the scheme in Bengal has been stalled for nearly three years. 'At this juncture, the endeavour of the court is on implementation of the scheme in the state of West Bengal, which has been kept in abeyance for close to three years,' the Bench observed. A senior official in the state administration welcomed the verdict and expressed hope that the Centre would not only release MNREGA funds but also 'unblock' dues under other centrally sponsored schemes, such as PMAY-G. 'The Centre cannot withhold funds for years because of corruption involving a few. The state has Rs 8,000 crore pending under PMAY-G alone. We hope this order will pave the way for resumption of other stalled projects as well,' the official said. TMC leaders termed the HC order as a 'much-awaited relief for the state and its millions of NREGA workers.' In a post on X, the TMC wrote, 'We made a promise to the people of Bengal – that we would fight for their rights with every ounce of strength in our bodies and we reaffirm our commitment to fight for Bengal against the ZAMINDARS in every forum, at every level.' Party MP Abhishek Banerjee also wrote in a post on X, 'The Calcutta High Court's order to restart MNREGA in Bengal is a blow to BJP's politics of revenge. This wasn't governance, it was retribution. The Court's directive to resume the scheme from August 1 is a step toward restoring justice.' However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee struck a more cautious note. 'The Centre is sending teams to Bengal, but they haven't released a single rupee in years. This is public money. People have worked, but they haven't been paid. Who will pay them? We had to pay from state funds. That's why we launched the 'Karmashree' scheme,' she said. Anuradha Talwar, leader of Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, the organisation that filed the petition, called the verdict a moral victory. It is the reward of the hard work and persistence of PBKMS members who did not give up their struggle despite three frustrating years. Our next task is to now ensure a corruption-free MNREGA in our State and to continue our struggle against BJP's attempts to kill MNREGA.' CPI(M) Central Committee member Sujan Chakraborty also welcomed the order.'From the very first day we have been asking… Why are poor labourers suffering because of the fight between BJP and TMC? It is their right. There may be corruption allegations. That can be investigated. But it is not acceptable that, year after year, MNREGA work has been stopped,' he said. BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya, however, maintained a guarded stance. 'We're not against MNREGA. But the TMC government wants to loot public money. The Centre cannot allow that. They've admitted to corruption but haven't taken action against those responsible,' he said. Atri Mitra is a Special Correspondent of The Indian Express with more than 20 years of experience in reporting from West Bengal, Bihar and the North-East. He has been covering administration and political news for more than ten years and has a keen interest in political development in West Bengal. Atri holds a Master degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University and Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. He is also an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. He started his career with leading vernacular daily the Anandabazar Patrika, and worked there for more than fifteen years. He worked as Bihar correspondent for more than three years for Anandabazar Patrika. He covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections. He also worked with News18-Bangla and covered the Bihar Lok Sabha election in 2019. ... Read More
The Hindu
37 minutes ago
- The Hindu
After six-year wait, 36 Indian pilgrims arrive at Mount Kailash and Mansarovar for yatra
Six years after the last Kailash Mansarovar yatra (pilgrimage) was held, a group of 36 Indian pilgrims conducted the arduous trek around the 18,000-feet-high Mount Kailash and took in the waters at the Mansarovar lake. The yatra at one of Hinduism's most holy sites is the first of the people-to-people mechanisms between India and China that is being restored after the COVID-19 pandemic and Line of Actual Control (LAC) military stand-off which was decided when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at Kazan last year. It is expected to be followed by other mechanisms, including the restoration of direct flights, opening of visas and tourism routes, as well as resolving economic and business-related issues through a separate mechanism. The pilgrims also arrived even as National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited China for SCO meetings. The first batch included all ages from 18 to 69, the group's organising leaders told a group of Indian journalists at the Zhunzhu Pu hostel, where they will stay for a few nights as they complete their Parikramas (circling the mountain and lake). Each group includes a doctor, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), that is the nodal agency for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra body (KMY) has also coordinated with the Chinese government to allow Indian cooks to travel ahead of the group and set up tents to provide them with food they are more familiar with. 'We are so happy that this yatra has been restarted, and for the past few years most of us had been approaching the MEA and the KMY repeatedly hoping they would resume the pilgrimage,' said Shailendra Sharma, coordinator of the group, whose members looked visibly moved by the experience. When asked, Suman Lata, newly retired as a school teacher, said while crossing over, the group had not felt any of the tensions between India and China that have dominated bilateral ties over the past few years, after the Galwan clashes, and stand-off between the Indian Army and the PLA at points like Demchok, only about 250 km east of Pulan (also called Burang). 'We have no truck with politics, I can only say that the Indian government sent us off very well and the Chinese government has received us extremely well too,' she told reporters. The group is one of 15 groups that are coming through the Nathu La pass in Sikkim and Lipulekh Pass with about 750 originally chosen, traversing more than 3,000 km from Gangtok and back between June 15 and July 2. Others will follow the same path or come via Lipulekh Pass from Uttarakhand, a slightly more difficult and longer trek to the strategically located peak close to the trijunction of India, Nepal and China. Survey of facilities In the run-up to the yatra, local officials said they conducted a thorough survey of facilities that would be used. While several non-resident Indians (NRIs) have been able to conduct the pilgrimage using private travel agencies over the last few years, their numbers have been lower than before, which meant a downturn in the work local Tibetan porters receive, and business in small neighbouring towns. 'The grand organisation for this cross-Himalayan cultural exchange is an important consensus between the leaders of India and China,' Wen Tao, Deputy Commissioner of Ali Prefecture, who came to greet the first batch and oversaw arrangements, said. He added that Chinese officials had worked on improving the efficiency of the immigration check point at Nathu La with biometrics, providing multilingual interpreters at different stages, oxygen facilities and special prayer areas at the sites. Recovering from the day's trek of more than 19 km, that took them to a height of 5,590 metres via Dolma Point, Pranav Gupta from Jammu said they were grateful to both governments for the itinerary that ensured they acclimatised gradually to the higher altitudes and oxygen issues. 'It is faith not fitness that really gets us through each day of this trek,' said Ms. Lata. Apart from Hindus who revere the 6,638 m high peak as the abode of one of their most powerful gods, Shiva, as well as the gates to the heavens, the sites are also worshipped by Buddhists, who believe the peak, that is referred to as 'Mount Meru', is the central source of spiritual energy. For Jains, one of their first Tirthankaras Rishabdeva is believed to have attained salvation after a trek to what they call Mount 'Ashtapada'. Tibetan Bons, another ancient religion, also revere the mountain and the lake, and pilgrims and worshippers of several faiths are seen doing the 'Koras' or routes around them in the summer season. As a result of the 'sacredness' of the sites, the Chinese government decided in 2001-2002 to ban all attempts to climb Mount Kailash, and visits to the Mansarovar lake, one of a twin pair of lakes there, are also strictly regulated. India and China agreed in 1981 to restart the ancient pilgrimage route.
Hans India
37 minutes ago
- Hans India
Emergency Anniversary: BJP Slams Congress 'Dynastic Arrogance', Recalls 1975 Crackdown on Democracy
Gadwal: On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed in India on June 25, 1975, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organized a press meet at its Aija town office, presided over by local BJP town president Kampati Bhagat Reddy. The event marked a strong criticism of the Congress party's historical actions during the Emergency period and its continued "dynastic mindset." Bhagat Reddy, while addressing the media, condemned what he called the "illusion of Congress" that the office of the Prime Minister is a birthright of one family and that India's freedom and future lies only within their grip. He described this mindset as a deeply rooted arrogance of the Nehru-Gandhi family. He recounted that on the midnight of June 25, 1975, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, based on her recommendation, had President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed declare a national emergency under Article 352(1) of the Indian Constitution. This was in response to the Allahabad High Court's verdict on June 12, which had invalidated Indira Gandhi's election, and the Supreme Court's conditional stay on June 25, 1975. Prominent opposition leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and Morarji Desai had then demanded her resignation. Bhagat Reddy accused the Congress party of treating the entire country as its private property. He said, 'That family believes it has unrestricted power to crush India's independence for any reason, at any time. Their faith in their own superiority is so deep that they act as if democracy is theirs to suspend.' He further stated, 'Just 28 years after Prime Minister Nehru spoke about the first moments of India's freedom at the stroke of midnight in 1947, his own daughter, Indira Gandhi, plunged the country into darkness, imposing dictatorship through a single stroke of the pen.' Reddy highlighted the brutal impacts of the Emergency — mass arrests, public beatings, suppression of media freedom, forced sterilizations, and a complete breakdown of citizens' fundamental rights. He said these events reminded the people of British colonial rule, and Emergency-era policies inflicted deep psychological trauma on Indian society that still lingers. He described how during the Emergency, the judiciary was gagged, citizens were deprived of basic legal recourse, and the freedom of the press — the fourth pillar of democracy — was crushed. 'As we mark 50 years since that dark chapter in Indian democracy,' Reddy said, 'it is a moment of reflection for all democracy-loving citizens. We must remember and analyze this history. It is the responsibility of every generation to retell the past, learn from it, and ensure it is never repeated.' Several other BJP leaders also attended the program, including Kisan Morcha president Veeresh Goud, K. Rajasekhar, Gadiga Raghu, and Raju, among others. The event concluded with a call to younger generations to remain vigilant and uphold democratic values, so that such an abuse of constitutional power is never repeated.
