NEW DELHI: Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday responded to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge‘s “terrorist party” remarks about the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).
Joshi highlighted past terror incidents during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule, accusing Congress of being lenient on terror convicts.
Joshi attacked the grand old party for “being soft” towards Afzal Guru and said Sonia Gandhi expressed sympathy for terrorists killed in the Batla House encounter.
He also pointed out that it is under Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s leadership that there has been a major decline in terrorist activities.
Joshi shared his views on social media, saying, “Mallikarjun Kharge mistakenly called BJP as Terrorist party by slip of tongue, however it was Sonia Gandhi who shed tears for terrorists who died in Batla House. It was Congress which was soft on Afzal Guru. It was Congress who repealed POTA in 2004. It was their PM Manmohan Singh who shook hands with Separatist Militants.”
He added, “It’s only under PM Narendra Modi ji that we have seen a significant decline in terrorist activities. Today Kashmiri youth have jobs instead of stones, which was the situation during Congress rule. As a senior leader, Kharge should double-check what he says.”
This exchange came after Mallikarjun Kharge’s criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On October 12, Kharge rejected PM Modi’s claim that Congress is controlled by “Urban Naxals” and accused the BJP of being associated with acts of violence against Scheduled Castes and tribals.
Kharge said, “Progressive people are being called Urban Naxals…this is his (PM Modi’s) habit. His party (BJP) itself is a terrorist party. They engage in lynching, assault people, urinate in the mouths of Scheduled Castes members, and rape tribal people. They also support those who commit these acts, and then they blame others.”
Kharge further added, “Wherever his government is in power, atrocities are committed against people from Scheduled Castes, especially tribals. Then he talks about these atrocities…It is his government, he can control it.”
Following these remarks, BJP National Spokesperson CR Kesavan criticised Kharge, accusing the Congress of having a divisive and communal mindset.
Kesavan commented, “Kharge’s remarks further expose the Congress party’s prejudiced, and toxic communal mindset and ideology of divide and rule, similar to that of the colonial British. The nation should not forget when the Congress talks about terrorism, how it equated terrorism with the Hindu community.”