New Delhi, Aug 28 (IANS) The ruling BJP and the Congress were on Wednesday engaged in war of words after Pakistan by quoting former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in a petition on the issue of Kashmir moved at the United Nations.
Upping the ante against Gandhi, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister and senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar demanded an apology from him, as well as the party for “insulting the country”.
Describing Gandhi’s comment criticizing the revocation of Article 370 as “shameful”, he said: “He is now being forced to retract and change his statement. This is being done after the nation erupted in fury.”
Javadekar said the shift in the Congress’ position is not because of its change of mindset but due to political compulsions.
He also called the opposition delegation to Kashmir led by Gandhi as “irresponsible”.
Javadekar’s attack came while Pakistan, in its latest bid to raise the issue of India’s abrogation of the Constitution’s Article 370 at the UN, quoted Gandhi’s comments to justify its stand.
Pakistan’s plea to the UN said: “These, and other, acts of violence have even been acknowledged by mainstream politicians such as the Leader of the Congress Party, Mr. Rahul Gandhi who has noted ‘people dying’ in Jammu & Kashmir, in light of events going very wrong there.”
Meanwhile, after failing to get any support from the UN Security Council or the US, Pakistan is now seeking to raise the Kashmir issue at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Former Pakistan Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua is already in Geneva to sensitize the top rights body on the “worst human rights violations” in Jammu and Kashmir.
Responding to the BJP’s charge, the Congress hit back saying that the “misinformation minister” (Javadekar) has “lost his political balance”.
Speaking to reporters here, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said: “It is tragic that Javadekar is twisting a statement made by Rahul Gandhi which reflected that Congress and all other parties are united.”
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