As politics intensified over India’s surgical strikes across the line of Control (loC), the BJP on Friday lashed out at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for his “khun ki dalali” comment, saying he “crossed all limits” and his remarks insulted the entire country and the Army. The BJP also asserted that the Army’s surgical strikes were backed by the resolute will of the Prime Minister and that it would go to the people with the issue to boost the morale of the armed forces.
The BJP went hammer and tongs at Rahul, with party chief Amit Shah leading from the front saying ‘dalali’ was ‘the mindset’ of the Congress. Shah reminded the Congress that the term ‘dalali’ resonates in the Bofors deal, 2-G and coal scams. “What are you questioning,” he said referring to the surgical strikes conducted by the Special Forces on September 29 against terrorist hideouts along the loC and told the Congress and the AAP “to stop politicising” the issue.
The BJP president said ever since Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought proof of the surgical strikes he was ‘trending’ on Pakistan’s social media as supporting Pakistan.
He said doubts were being created even as a Press conference on the Army strikes was held by the Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) and not by the Defence Minister.
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad followed suit at a separate Press conference, saying Congress leader Kapil Sibal “crossed all limits of shameful conduct in public life” by describing the national president of the BJP as “a criminal”.
“Rahul bhakti desh bhakti par bhaari pad rahi hai,” said Prasad pointing to the Congress’ refusal to tone down Rahul’s ‘unsavoury’ comment against the Prime Minister in reference to the Army action against the terror camps.
Suggesting that those casting doubts on the authenticity of the surgical strikes were “anti-India,” Shah said, “The whole country, the BJP and its Government are standing firmly behind the Army. We do not believe in the comments of anti-India leaders. We believe in the Army’s bullets.”
Dismissing the charge that the BJP was using these strikes for political benefit, he said none of the top party leaders made any statement and it was the DGMO and not the Defence Minister who addressed a Press conference to announce the Army’s cross-border attacks.
“If a local level politician says or does something, it should not be seen as the party’s stand”, he said, adding that the whole country is happy and enthused by the development and so are BJP workers.
“The question is why you (Congress) are not happy, enthusiastic and proud of this. It shows there is some fundamental flaw in you.... Instead of joining people in their happiness, the Congress is expressing Pakistan’s despair,” said the BJP head.
Shah said his party would go to the people with the issue of cross-border strikes, “which had happened for the first time since Independence. This would boost the morale of the forces.”
The Pioneer on Thursday reported the BJP would “go all out” in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab with the issue and generate heat on the new-found ‘nationalistic unity’ in the country.
He appeared to dismiss demands for releasing video evidence, saying “who is seeking them”. The BJP has said any such demand compromises national security.
Attacking the Congress, he said the party was expressing Pakistan’s despair instead of joining people’s enthusiasm over surgical strikes. Shah said the Congress, Rahul in particular, dislike Modi and recalled expressions like ‘maut ke saudagar’ (death merchant) and “zahar ki kheti” (sowing poison) used by his mother and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi against Modi.
The BJP won with a two-thirds majority in Gujarat after the ‘maut ke saudagar’ remarks and got a majority after “zahar ki kheti” comments, he said, wondering what the fallout of the “khoon ki dalali” barb would be.
Suggesting that much of what Rahul says on political issues does not make much sense, Shah said the Congress vice-president should concentrate on “potato factory”, a reference to his comments to farmers that they want “potato factories”.
later in the afternoon, Prasad squarely condemned Sibal’s Press conference saying “zero loss” Sibal’s comment may bring down Congress’ 44 lok Sabha tally further down. He said though the Congress people also worried about Rahul’s comments, the party seems to be busy in a “Rahul bachao” campaign rather than toning down his extreme comments. He lashed out at the “personal accusation” against Shah saying the latter was given a clean chit by the court even without filing of a chargesheet.