The BJP on Tuesday lashed out at Congress leaders and former Union Ministers Manishanker Aiyar and Salman Khursheed for making controversial comments in Pakistan and described them as propagandists of ISIS, Inter-Services Intelligence and Taliban.
Addressing a Press conference here, BJP MP and party spokesperson Meenashi lekhi said when the entire world was talking about terror attack in Paris “these people are defaming India”. She recalled that as Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi had “defended” then Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh when the latter was derided and described as ‘dehati mahila’ by Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif .
She said these leaders of the Congress “are defeated people” who are trying to make a comeback in public light by making controversial comments. “These people have no shame,” lekhi said. She said these desperate politicians are turning publicist for IS, ISI and Taliban and out to derail the development agenda unleashed by the Prime Minister.
Hitting out at them for their controversial comments, she said that they are trying to gain lost ground by visiting ISI headquarters which is an “insult to India and its nationalist Muslims”.
“129 people have been killed in Paris in an open assault to civilisation and it seems that these people are behaving and conducting themselves as propagandists for ISI and IS or Taliban,” lekhi said.
“BJP strongly condemns such anti-national acts of the Congress party and seeks an explanation from their leadership about these critical issues,” she said.
lekhi said these leaders have engaged with anti-India agenda and praise the very forces who are working against the country, adding, “We must watch out for such elements the world over, especially in India.”
She attacked the Congress for “engineering” an atmosphere of intolerance that does not exist.
During a panel discussion on a Pakistani news channel, Aiyar reportedly said Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to be removed if talks between the two nations have to resume.
When the anchor of Duniya TV asked what is to be done to end the stalemate in the relations between the two nations, Aiyar responded, “The first and the foremost thing is to remove Modi. Only then can the talks move forward. We have to wait for four more years. They (panelists) are all optimist and that we can move forward when Modi sahab is there, but I don’t think so.”
He further said, “Bring us (the Congress) back to power and remove them. There is no other way (to better the relations). We will remove them, but till then you (Pakistan) have to wait.”
Aiyar had last week also created a controversy with his remarks in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.
Reacting to the attacks in Paris on Friday killing 129 people, Aiyar had reportedly said that “the anti-Islam phobia that is being carried out in the western countries should be stopped immediately. The Muslims living in France should be provided with the assurance that they are also citizens of the country.” Expressing remorse, Aiyar said, “we should also think that why this situation has raisedIJ”
For his part, Salman Khursheed was all praise for Nawaz Sharif even as he lashed out at during his invitation lecture at the Jinnah Institute in Islamabad on Thursday.
Speaking about Pak PM Nawaz Sharif attending Modi’s swearing-in ceremony in India, Khursheed said, “If you look back at the first face-to-face between our PMs, your PM took a brave, farsighted decision. What we said and did made things uncomfortable for Pakistan after the visit.”