The BJP on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on businessman and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra for his controversial remarks on the Pahalgam terror attack which killed 26 in Baisaran.
Vadra said, “When this terrorist act took place, they (terrorists) were looking at IDs, people who were non-Muslims were attacked and messages were given to the prime minister. Why is this happening? Because, they are feeling that Muslims are being mistreated in our country.”
Speaking the language of terrorists, says BJP
BJP Spokesperson CR Kesavan on Wednesday hit out at Vadra and said, “Robert Vadra’s most disgraceful statements are unpardonable, indefensible. Is he a proxy for Pakistan or is he a proxy for murderers/terrorists? Because he seems to be speaking the language of terrorists when he pretty much says that there is a justification for these heinous terrorists to kill Indians… The way Robert Vadra is speaking and making statements, it is as if terrorists have a justification to do this…”
BJP’s IT department head Amit Malviya said Vadra’s remarks were shocking.
He “shamelessly defends an act of terror, offering cover to the terrorists instead of condemning them,” Malviya said on X.
BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli told PTI that it was clear from Vadra’s remarks that he wants to do politics on such a gruesome terror attack. “Robert Vadra’s remarks are completely condemnable. This is the same language that terrorists always use to justify their terrorism. It’s clear from Robert Vadra’s remarks that he wants to do politics on such a gruesome terror attack when the entire country is united against it,” Kohli said. He also demanded an apology from Vadra and a clarification from the Congress party.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla called Vadra’s statement “shameful”.
“This is the most shameful, atrocious utterance done by the Congress party, Robert Vadra at the behest of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, in a sense to defend the Pakistani terrorists – to give them a clean chit to whitewash this crime of Islamic Jihad and to blame Hindus and to justify the terror…
Poonawalla also drew parallels with past incidents, saying, “After 26/11, they blamed Hindus, after the Pulwama attack, they blamed security forces…,”
What did Vadra say
While Vadra’s remarks triggered a row by suggesting that non-Muslims were attacked in Pahalgam as terrorists feel Muslims are being “mistreated” in the country, he clarified his comments by saying that it was his personal view.
He said he was not speaking on behalf of the Congress party or his family.
“As is said terrorism does not look at any kind of religion. But .. I feel that whenever in a country there are communal issues, people feel vulnerable. There is a division and we see that in our country.
“I see that the minorities are sidelined. When they are praying, they are not allowed to do so on their roofs. If they are in abundance praying on a Thursday or Friday and there is a spillover on the road, they are stopped… there are surveys of mosques,” he told PTI videos.
Vadra said he was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate when he last spoke for minorities but he will continue to raise his voice whenever any wrong happens.
“Why is it that one religion can celebrate their Gods and beliefs on the roads and we all have to adhere to them and when the Muslims are praying for their Gods, they are stopped?
“If we are not united, we are going to be vulnerable and any bordering country will take advantage of this,” Vadra, who is the husband of Congress’ Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi, said.
“It is time we need to unite and we need to separate politics and religion. Religion-based politics will always cause division and separation and no progress. The political parties need to introspect. When I say this, these are my thoughts and it is not the thought of the Congress party or my family,” he added.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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