The BJP launched a blistering attack on the Congress over Mani Shankar Aiyar's remarks on Pakistan, saying the party had become an "apologist" for "Pakistan and Pakistan-based terror". Addressing a press conference, Union Minister and BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the controversial remarks by Congress's Sam Pitroda and Aiyar reflected the pattern of the party's ideology and policies.
Chandrasekhar said Aiyar wanted India to fear Pakistan and give it respect. "This is New India, it won't be afraid of anyone. The Congress under Rahul Gandhi has become an apologist and defender of Pakistan and its terrorism," Chandrasekhar said.
"The ideology of Rahul Gandhi's Congress is becoming clear to the people. Congress is getting support from Pakistan foreign ministers," the BJP leader further said.
Chandrasekhar was referring to the recent post on X by former Pakistan minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain praising Rahul Gandhi.
The BJP leader also cited recent comments of more Congress leaders to buttress his point. Chandrashekhar mentioned the recent remarks by Maharashtra Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar in which he said that IPS officer Hemant Karkare was killed by a cop affiliated to the RSS and not Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
He also flagged how former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi dismissed the recent terror incident in Poonch as a poll stunt. "Congress leader Digvijay Singh had suggested that the Mumbai terror attack was a RSS conspiracy," he further claimed.
Recently, an undated video of Aiyar went viral on social media in which the Congress leader says that India should give respect to Pakistan as it possesses an atom bomb.
"If India spurns the neighbouring country, some madman there can use a nuclear bomb," Aiyar said in the video. When asked about India's muscular policy towards Pakistan, he said, "We should not forget that Pakistan also has muscle at Kahuta (Rawalpindi)," a reference to the atomic bomb.
Amid the controversy, Aiyar said the video was old and was being dredged up because the BJP's Lok Sabha campaign was faltering. "It is obvious from the sweater I am wearing that my comments to Chill Pill were made in the winter several months ago," Aiyar said in a statement.
