The BJP on Thursday rubbished the Congress’ charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi kept “shooting for a film” while the terror attack in Pulwama was happening, by accusing the principal Opposition party of being “irresponsible and indulging in low-level politics”. The ruling party maintained that the Congress’ position only serves to validate Pakistan’s position on the attack and “demoralises the Armed Forces”.
‘Shameful attack on PM’
At a public meeting in Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh, BJP President Amit Shah said the popular faith on the PM’s commitment to national security will not be shaken by the Congress’ assertions. Simultaneously, the ruling party fielded Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to rebut the Congress’ charge.
“It is a shameful attack on the PM. He was in Uttarakhand on the day of Pulwama attack as part of an official programme related to tiger conservation. The moment he learnt of the attack, he left Ramnagar and headed for an official meeting. This programme was fixed before the Pulwama attack happened,” the Minister said.
On surgical strikes
BJP President mounted a counter-attack on Congress President Rahul Gandhi, whom he accused of “abusing” the Army Chief and undermining the surgical strikes that were undertaken by the Army in the aftermath of the terror attack in Uri.
“The politicisation of Pulwama attack is condemnable. The nation has faith in the PM and his popularity will not be diminished by those who called the Army Chief a ‘street lumpen’ and viewed the surgical strikes on Pakistan as ‘khoon ki dalali’ [trading in blood]. The nation trusts PM Modi on national security,” said the BJP President.