War of words: In targeting Jaishankar, is Rahul Gandhi tripping on Js?
At a time when Congress leaders and MPs are on foreign soil as part of multi-party delegations explaining the government's position on Pakistan and terrorism emanating from the neighbouring country, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Friday posed a fresh set of questions to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and claimed 'India's foreign policy has collapsed'.
Gandhi's use of the initials 'JJ', which he did not clarify, caused consternation in sections of the party. His post also drew a sharp rebuttal from the BJP, which criticised his 'immature and irresponsible comments' that were 'miles from the truth' and said he was deserving of 'Nishan-e-Pakistan (Pakistan's highest civilian honour)'.
Sharing a clip of Jaishankar's interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS, Gandhi wrote on X, 'Will JJ explain: Why has India been hyphenated with Pakistan? Why didn't a single country back us in condemning Pakistan? Who asked Trump to 'mediate' between India & Pakistan?'
Congress media department head Pawan Khera and social media chief Supriya Shrinate refused to comment on what Gandhi meant by 'JJ'. Two senior leaders said it was obvious that while one J stood for Jaishankar, the other was open to interpretation. 'It could be Joker or jhoota (liar). It could be Jaichand or Mir Jafar, who are both considered traitors,' said a leader. The other party functionary said, 'It is up to the people to interpret what the J stands for.'
Another senior Congress functionary said the party 'should not play such games' with a Union Minister. 'There has to be a better way to ask questions from the government and the EAM. I know the BJP has made personal attacks on the Congress and Rahul Gandhi. But there has to be a difference between us and them,' he added.
A leader who is part of one of the all-party delegations said, 'He is the LoP. He has certain responsibilities to ask questions of the government on behalf of the people. But such posts on social media. I don't understand them. You can have your spokespersons and leaders do such things. Why do it yourself from your official social media account?'
This is not the first time the Congress and Gandhi have targeted Jaishankar this week. On Monday, the LoP asked the minister to clarify whether the government had 'informed' Pakistan before targeting the terrorist infrastructure on its soil and what it meant in terms of aircraft 'lost' by India. Khera repeated the allegations at a media briefing the same day, adding that Jaishankar's remarks may have helped terrorists 'escape'. Khera even called the minister a 'mukhbir (informant)' – something that didn't go down well with a section of Congress leaders, who said that it was taking things 'too far'.
The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that Jaishankar's remarks were being 'falsely represented' and added, 'This utter misrepresentation of facts is being called out.'
The BJP hit back at Gandhi's 'undignified words', saying his comments were playing into Pakistan's hands. Underlining the significance of the LoP's office, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, 'You can have a difference of opinion with the Prime Minister, this can happen in a democracy but using undignified words against him, your statements being seconded by Pakistan and their being played in their Senate, being used by Pakistan to defame India and your staying quiet is worrying.'
Asking him to 'choose sides' once and for all, Bhatia said Gandhi needed to decide if he was 'the Leader of the Opposition of India or Pakistan's Nishan-e-Pakistan'.
'When Operation Sindoor is still on, what kind of irresponsible statements are being made by Rahul Gandhi ji? 'Please tell me how many of the India Air Force's jets have been downed?'… This is when today, Pakistan's senior political leader Maryam Nawaz said that Pakistan had to suffer a lot of losses during the nights of May 6, 7, and 9 because of Indian retaliation,' he said.
'Pakistan is admitting that our forces destroyed nine terror launchpads, destroyed 11 Pakistani airbases. Maryam Nawaz is admitting that Pakistan has got such a jolt that it is crumbling. What is LoP, Nishan-e-Pakistan doing now? … Rahul Gandhi ji, your core character of being anti-India, against the morale of the country's armed forces (has been exposed) … why did you start hating the 140 crore people of the country while hating PM Narendra Modi?' he asked.
Earlier in the day, before Gandhi's social media post, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged that in 1991 India and Pakistan had signed an agreement to exchange information 'about any attack or army movement'. This, he added, was signed with the support of the Congress.
'Is this agreement treason? Congress is hand in glove with Pakistani vote bank, does it suit you to make objectionable comments on Foreign Minister S Jaishankar,' Dubey wrote on X.
After Khera pointed out that the Congress had withdrawn support to the Chandra Shekhar government in February 1991, Dubey responded by saying the Congress had 'stopped reading'. 'According to article 14 of this agreement, this agreement was ratified in a meeting held in Delhi on 19 August 1992, which is written on page number 2 of my tweet. Was there a Congress government in 1992 or not?' he asked.
The 'Agreement between India and Pakistan on advance notice on military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements' was signed on April 6, 1991. The Chandra Shekhar government lasted a total of seven months from November 10, 1990, to June 21, 1991, continuing for a few months after the Congress withdrew support on March 6. In the elections that followed, the Congress returned to power under the leadership of P V Narasimha Rao.
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