New Delhi : Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad launched a scathing attack on Congress on Monday, saying that while the party has said they are with all the decision of the government, certain Congress leaders have uttered incorrect and insulting statements regarding the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
Naming certain Congress leaders, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and party leader RV Timapur have called for a restraint from war and claimed that terrorists did not ask for the religion of victims, respectively.
Talking about Karnataka CM's statement, he said, "I will keep the statements of some of the leaders in front of you: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has said 'war is not necessary,' on 26 April he said we do not have right to war we should take strong steps against it, and Pakistan is playing it all. Whatever Congress says, Pakistan's generals use that."
Meanwhile, on Congress leader Timapur's statement, he added, "Another leader, RV Timapur, said that the terrorists did not ask for the religion of the victims, 'I believe that the attack in Pahalgam"
He further remembered his own party's stance during the 26/11 terrorist attack, where the party had instructed him to only take the line of unequivocally supporting the government under PM Manmohan Singh.
"Even Congress has said that they are with every step of the government, this is a sign of a mature democracy, that when country is in trouble, we should all should stand up. I remember when 26/11 happened, I had strict instructions from the party that I should take only one line, 'that we are with the government', even during an interview in an international channel, I had said this is not the time to settle political scores," Prasad said.
"Looking at the situation of the country right now, I did not expect to do a PC on it, because it is being handled under strategic security. People are angry with the unfortunate incident in Pahalgam, PM has spoken in Bihar and in Mann ki Baat that there will be strict investigation on terrorists," Prasad added.
Claiming that certain Congress have an agenda which needed to be unearthed, he added, "I had expected something similar from Congress, we listened to them, but some bigger leaders of Congress are saying such things, why are they saying it? And what is their agenda? I don't want to raise political issues, I am quite sad, and grieving, but looking at the pattern which has come out then I figured I should address it from the party's platform."
Earlier on April 26, Siddaramaiah had written in a post on X, "There is no need to declare war on Pakistan regarding terrorist attacks. Steps should be taken to tighten security measures in the Kashmir region. We are not in favor of war, an environment should be created where people can live peacefully. The central government should increase security to ensure peace in Kashmir."
The attack in Pahalgam is one of the deadliest attacks in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike, in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India has taken strong measures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism.