New Delhi: The BJP continued its attack for the second day on Saturday on Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s remarks on Pulwama attack on the CRPF convoy and India’s air strikes on Balakot, with party president Amit Shah seeking an apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his anti-national views insulting the Indian Armed Forces and demoralising jawans and martyrs.
He accused Rahul of deliberately prompting Congress leaders to make anti-India statements and wriggling out by dubbing them as their “personal views” as part of the vote-bank politics at the cost of the national interests compromising the national security at a BJP headquarters press meet in New Delhi.
Asserting it was part of the Congress strategy to have the orchestrated statements by its leaders and escape when confronted, Shah sought answers from Rahul to three questions arising out of Pitroda’s remarks, including whether the Congress agrees with him India should continue the policy of talks with Pakistan despite its terrorist activities and not answer it through surgical and air strikes.
He also sought to know if the Congress agrees with Pitroda that a nation (Pakistan) should not be held guilty because of actions of seven-eight persons and that the Pulwama attack was a routine incident. What was the result of the policy of talks followed by the Congress governments after 26/11 and many bomb blasts in different parts of India, he asked, pointing out there was no action against terrorism during 10 years of the previous UPA government since it had no courage.
Shah pointed out that Rahul had himself put a question mark on the air strike in his March 7 speech that questions about it must be answered. He said it is improper for the president of a national party to have any doubts about the IAF that carried out attack on the terror base deep in Pakistan. He also referred to Rahul describing the earlier surgical strike on Pakistan as “khoon ki dalali”.
In reply to a question, he said: “There is nothing personal in politics.” Pointing out Pitroda is also a member of the Congress manifesto panel, he asked: “Will he not use the same theory in the manifesto in this election?” Shah said it is only the BJP government that can ensure security to the nation by giving a fitting reply to Pakistan and terrorism, following a zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and diplomatic success in isolating Pakistan the world over.