Several BJP leaders on Monday took to social media to attack Congress President Rahul Gandhi for referring to Jaish chief as ‘Masood Azhar ji.’ Addressing the grass root workers of his party in Delhi on Monday, Gandhi had taken a dig at the BJP and the current National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, for escorting Azhar out of an Indian jail to Kandahar in Afghanistan in 1999.
Gandhi said, “The bomb blasts in Pulwama left 40 CRPF jawans martyred. Who was behind the bomb blast in the CRPF bus? Jaish-e-Mohammed. Masood Azhar. You should remember this. Now this person with 56-inch chest (Prime Minister Narendra Modi), if you remember, during the time of his party’s last government, their current NSA Ajit Doval accompanied Masood Azhar ji in the plane to Kandahar.”
Moments later, several BJP leaders took to social media post a 8-second video of Gandhi’s speech to accuse him of displaying respect for a terrorist. Union Minister Smriti Irani wrote, “What is common between Rahul Gandhi and Pakistan? Their love for terrorists. Please note Rahul ji’s reverence for terrorist Masood Azhar – a testimony to #RahulLovesTerrorists.”
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tweeted, “Rahul Gandhi speaks only what he learns from a script. Those who used to feed biryani to terrorists are now asking proof from the armed forces.”
Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote on Twitter, “Come on “Rahul Gandhi Ji”! Earlier it were the likes of Digvijay Ji who called “Osama Ji” and “Hafiz Saeed Sahab”. Now you are saying “Masood Azhar Ji”. What is happening to Congress Party?”
Although, the Congress party did not react to the sustained attack from the BJP on Gandhi addressing a terrorist as ji, several social media users reproduced old video of veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi’s old video addressing the mastermind of 26/11 terror attacks as Shri Hafiz Saeed.’
In another old video, Prasad himself was seen addressing Saeed as Hafiz Saeed ji.
Bhakts are outraging becz Rahul Gandhi said “Masood Azhar JI”
Here is an old video of R S Prasad where he called Hafiz Saeed as Hafiz JI ? That time no one outraged against him bcz it was NOT an issue. #RahulLovesTerrorists #RahulMasoodJiComment pic.twitter.com/PBvWbZhYeu
— Md Asif Khan آصِف (@imMAK02) March 11, 2019
War of words between the Congress and the BJP have intensified since the Election Commission of India announced the dates for this year’s Lok Sabha polls.