'Undeclared emergency': Congress, RJD targets PM Modi over Bihar visit in wake of Pahalgam terror attack, questions timing
File photo
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
's scheduled visit to
Bihar
on Thursday for inaugurating development projects and attending an election rally has drawn sharp criticism from Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), particularly in light of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Questioning the timing of Prime Minister's visit, the Bihar Congress highlighted on X that while
Rahul Gandhi
cut short his US trip to return to Delhi following the attack, the PM proceeded with his campaign plans despite the nation being in mourning.
"Leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi has cut short his US trip and returned to Delhi. Meanwhile, Modi ji will hold an election rally in Bihar today! The nation is in mourning, yet the Prime Minister is campaigning!," Bihar Congress said in a post on X.
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RJD also took a jibe at PM Modi and alleged that the state administration is pressuring local officials and representatives to ensure crowd attendance at the event.
"The pyres of the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack have not yet been lit, but the country's Prime Minister will come to Bihar tomorrow to campaign and deliver speeches because Bihar is holding elections this year. The Nitish-BJP government is exerting immense pressure on BDOs, DTOs, DMs, SPs, and others to mobilise crowds. On government orders, officials are intimidating and threatening panch, sarpanch, ward members, committee members, and mukhiyas to gather and bring crowds. They are being forced to go to Madhubani," RJD said in a post on X.
"This is an undeclared emergency. The money of poor states is being squandered on political programmes," it added.
The Prime Minister is set to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for development projects worth over Rs 13,480 crore and address a gathering in Madhubani on National Panchayati Raj Day.
Prime Minister's Bihar visit comes in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed 28 lives.
Meanwhile, JDU leaders have opted to skip the all-party meeting in Delhi regarding the
Pahalgam terror attack
, citing their commitment to the Prime Minister's program in Madhubani.
"All top JDU leaders are engaged in the Prime Minister's program in Madhubani district today, so we are not able to attend the all-party meeting. Whatever decision will be taken in the meeting, JDU will stand with the government decision and support the Government in the country's interest," JDU working president Sanjay Kumar Jha said.
The Centre will brief leaders of various political parties on the Pahalgam terror attack and hear their views at the meeting.
India on Wednesday announced a series of steps to give a strong message to Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism, stating that the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance and the integrated checkpost at Attari will be closed with immediate effect.
The attack, carried out by terrorists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Tuesday, is one of the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019
Pulwama
strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The attack was one of the biggest terror attacks in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
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