Rahul Gandhi and BJP Spar Over Allegations of Pakistan's Support
Congress vs BJP: A political firestorm has erupted in India following a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam and the subsequent Indian Army operation, 'Operation Sindur'. While the central government is celebrating the military operation's success domestically and internationally, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has raised pointed questions. In response, the BJP has shared an edited photo and cartoon of Rahul Gandhi on social media, sparking outrage from the Congress party.
BJP IT Cell Head Targets Gandhi
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT cell, posted an edited photo and cartoon of Rahul Gandhi on social media, suggesting that Gandhi is speaking the language of Pakistan and undermining national morale by questioning the success of the military operation.
Malviya stated, "Rahul Gandhi did not offer a single word of congratulations to the Prime Minister or the army on the success of Operation Sindur. Instead, he repeatedly asked how many aircraft we lost, even though the DGMO briefing already answered this question."
Congress Responds Through Pawan Khera
Congress responded sharply to this post. Spokesperson Pawan Khera accused the BJP of making light of serious national security issues. He stated, "The ruling party is resorting to cartoonish behavior in a serious situation. The opposition stood with the army and the country, but the BJP continues its frivolous actions. We have faith in the Indian Army, but not in this government's national leadership."
Khera directly attacked, suggesting that the "Nishan-e-Pakistan" (a Pakistani award) should be bestowed upon those who dined with Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan.
Mention of Advani and Jaishankar
Pawan Khera further stated, "Morarji Desai was the only Indian politician to receive the Nishan-e-Pakistan award. But now, some others seem deserving. For example, Lal Krishna Advani, who praised Jinnah after visiting Pakistan. Or those leaders who went uninvited to Nawaz Sharif's house in Pakistan for a biryani dinner."
Khera also targeted External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stating that Jaishankar himself admitted to informing Pakistan that India was only targeting terrorist camps. Khera questioned why this information was shared with an enemy nation, asking if it didn't help Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed escape.
Rahul Gandhi's Question
This controversy began when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned the External Affairs Minister, asking why Pakistan was informed beforehand and how many aircraft were lost as a result.
Rahul Gandhi stated, "This was not a mere oversight but a grave offense. The country has the right to know the truth. If External Affairs Minister Jaishankar remains silent on this, his silence speaks volumes."
The Army's Response
On May 11, in a press conference, Air Marshal AK Bharti stated, "We are in a war-like situation, and losses are natural. The question isn't what we lost, but whether we achieved our objective – and the answer is yes."
