BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Monday launched a sharp attack on the Congress party after senior Maharashtra Congress MLA Vijay Waddetiwar made controversial remarks regarding the Pahalgam terror attack.
Poonawalla accused Congress of adopting a dual stance on terrorism and suggested that the party’s name should be changed to a “Pakistan-based party.” He said, “On one hand, Rahul Gandhi calls for action against terrorism at the all-party meeting, and on the other hand, Congress leaders mock Hindu victims. Is the Congress party now questioning the victims’ accounts? Their dual policy won’t work. Congress has once again allowed its vote bank politics to overshadow national interest. Waddetiwar, the same person who gave a clean chit to Pakistan over the 26/11 attacks, is now doubting the Pahalgam victims.”
In a self-shot video, Poonawalla further criticized Congress leaders, saying they seem to be competing to offer a “clean chit” to Pakistan. He also mentioned that similar sentiments had been expressed by Anil Deshmukh of the NCP-Sharad Pawar faction.
BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also took a swipe at the Congress, saying, “Some people are competing to become Pakistan’s proxy partners. This is neither good for them nor for the country. When the entire nation is demanding strong action against Pakistan, what political gain are they trying to achieve?”
The controversy erupted after Waddetiwar questioned the victim testimonies, saying, “The government should take responsibility for the Pahalgam terrorist attack. They claim terrorists asked about the religion of victims before killing them — do terrorists even have time for that? Terrorists have no caste or religion. Identify the real culprits and take strict action.”
Waddetiwar also reacted to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s comments against war with Pakistan, saying, “If the government is ready for war, then go ahead and do it. Don’t just talk about stopping Pakistan’s water — that would take 20 years.”
The Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, has reignited a fierce political debate over national security and political responses to terrorism.
