New Delhi: BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday accused the Congress of weakening the morale of the nation and said that the language of the party bore a “striking resemblance” to that of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Prasad was replying to charges made by the Congress over the Pulwama terror attack earlier in the day.
Questioning an intelligence breach that led to the attack in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed, the Congress had targeted National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Is our Intelligence so weak under Ajit Doval that the terrorists were able to carry 350 kg of explosives through the most protected highway in the country?” Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had said at a media briefing here.
He had also blamed the Prime Minister for not realising the emergency and continuing to shoot a film at the Jim Corbett National Park till hours after the attack. Countering the Congress’ charges, Prasad said, “Usually we let it go, but loose comments made against the Prime Minister are unacceptable. “He (Narendra Modi) was on an official visit to Ramgarh, related to tiger conservation. He conducted a meeting (after the attack) from there due to inclement weather and drove down, far away for the airport.”
Prasad said the government wanted to send out the message that the “country will keep functioning the way it does and not the way Pakistan wants it to.” The BJP leader said what the Congress said on Thursday was similar in tone to what Imran Khan has been saying. “Though different in style, what Congress said bore a striking resemblance to what Imran Khan has been saying. Pakistan would be very happy today hearing Congress’ comments,” he said. “Don’t try to weaken the morale of the Army and the integrity of the country. Though you are incapable of doing that anyway,” he added.
The Law and Justice Minister claimed that since the Modi government came to power, local recruitment among militants has reduced and most terror attacks are being perpetrated by terrorists who come from across the border. He said the Indian Army has killed 728 terrorists between 2015 and 2018, against the 349 killed between 2011 and 2014. “It is because we have given the Army a free hand.”
