The main opposition also raked up the Pulwama terrorist attack and Modi’s surprise visit to then Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s home to attend a family function in December 2015.
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Pramod Tiwari countered the BJP attack that Pakistan has welcomed the NC’s manifesto promise of restoring Article 370 that gave special status to J&K and that this promise has caused a lot of enthusiasm in the neighbouring country.
Tiwari struck a sarcastic note, saying he “admired” the jugalbandi between the PM and Pakistan’s defence minister as Asif synchronised his remarks with Modi’s visit to the state.
“His equations with Pakistan were visible earlier also when he went to Pakistan to have biryani at the home of Nawaz Sharif without being invited. Nobody would go to a place uninvited, but he did so despite being the prime minister. Today Sharif’s brother is the prime minister of Pakistan. If this is not jugalbandi then what is? We have the 1971 (war victory) to show, and you have biryani,” Tiwari said.
The Congress leader underlined that his party leaders Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were martyred in the fight against terrorism while Modi has failed.“Today terrorism has come to Jammu from the Valley. There have been targeted killings,” he said.When ET asked him about the surgical strikes and the Balakot operation to counter Pakistan-sponsored attacks in Pathankot (2016) and Pulwama (2019), Tiwari said, “Pulwama would not have happened had the army troops been moved by air. After Pathankot, allowing the ISI to visit the air force base was a historic mistake. Modi will never be forgiven for permitting ISI inside the base.”
He also referred to the questions raised by then J&K governor Satpal Malik on the Pulwama attack.
“I am reminded of the remarks made by the then Jammu and Kashmir governor Satpal Malik about the Pulwama attack… The unity, integrity and security of the country were endangered in this attack… Malik had said when he tried to draw the PM’s attention to the issue, he was asked to stay quiet… A huge quantity of RDX was used. It has been more than five years and we still do not know where it came from and how. Our army is capable and strong enough not to let any security breach take place. So where did the political leadership fail?” Tiwari said.
He maintained that Prime Minister Modi has himself often alleged that though the defence forces were always competent and willing to attack, the lack of political will earlier had prevented counter-attacks.
Tiwari underlined that the alliance with the NC was struck as part of the INDIA bloc formation before the Lok Sabha election and was put in place to prevent division of votes.
He said the high voter turnout in the first phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir reflected the anger against the lieutenant governor-led rule of the Centre.
