Pakistan\'s petition to UN on Kashmir sparks BJP-Congress war
I&B minister Prakash Javdekar went to the extent of asking if Mr Gandhi’s mindset had changed due to the change in his constituency.
New Delhi: Pakistan’s petition to the United Nations on Kashmir saw the Congress and the BJP engage in a bitter war of words on Wednesday, with each questioning the other’s commitment to nationalism. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi turned the debate, and said while he had many differences with the government, he knew Pakistan was fomenting violence in the region and Kashmir was an integral part of India. The BJP countered by saying that Mr Gandhi had shamed the nation by his comments on Jammu and Kashmir.
I&B minister Prakash Javdekar went to the extent of asking if Mr Gandhi’s mindset had changed due to the change in his constituency. Having lost the election in his traditional stronghold Amethi, Mr Gandhi won the Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad, a minority-dominated seat, in Kerala.
The heated exchange started shortly after it came to light that Pakistan had in its petition to the UN quoted Mr Gandhi as saying that people were “dying” in Jammu and Kashmir.
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Soon after this, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted Wednesday that Kashmir was India’s internal issue and attacked Pakistan for instigating and supporting violence there.
The Congress leader said though he disagrees with the government on many issues, he is clear that Kashmir was an internal issue and there was no room for Pakistan to interfere in it. “There is violence in J&K. There is violence because it is instigated and supported by Pakistan, which is known to be the prime supporter of terrorism across the world,” he added.
The Congress also officially hit out at Pakistan for “mischievously” dragging Mr Gandhi’s name in its petition moved in the UN to justify its “lies” and misinformation on J&K. “The Congress has noticed reports citing an alleged petition moved by the Pakistani government at the UN on J&K, wherein name of Shri Rahul Gandhi has been mischievously dragged to justify the pack of lies being spread by Pakistan,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a statement.