Several political parties in India, including the Congress, have criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its alleged insensitivity. The criticism comes after the BJP held celebrations to mark India’s successful G20 Summit on the same day that security personnel were killed by terrorists in the Jammu and Kashmir region.
On that day, Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonack, Deputy Superintendent Humayun Bhat, and an army jawan were killed in a gunfight in the Garol area of Anantnag district. The incident has reignited debates about national security and political responsibility.
Rohit Chaudhary, Chairman of the Congress’ Ex-Servicemen Department, described the BJP’s actions as “shameless insensitivity.” He said the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, chose to go ahead with his “self-praising celebrations” at the BJP headquarters even as the news of the tragic incident was making headlines. “While the country was shocked with grief, the Prime Minister was busy getting himself showered with flowers at the BJP headquarters,” Chaudhary said.
The issue also raised questions about the Prime Minister’s commitment to the nation and its security forces. Chaudhary accused Modi of being more concerned with accolades than with showing solidarity during a time of national tragedy. “The Army and the country were feeling hurt over such ‘shameful behavior’,” he added.
This year has seen more than 30 terror incidents in Kashmir alone, according to Chaudhary. He suggested that the recent tragedy was a “deliberate ambush” and called for heightened caution, especially considering that this is an election year.
In a social media post, the Congress labeled the Prime Minister “insensitive” and juxtaposed videos of mourning family members of the deceased soldiers with footage of Modi’s warm welcome at the BJP headquarters. The post aimed to highlight the stark contrast between the two situations and question the government’s priorities.
Other parties like Shiv Sena and RJD also joined the chorus of disapproval. Priyanka Chaturvedi, a leader from the Shiv Sena, said the celebration “could have been postponed, expected more sensitivity.” Manoj Jha of the RJD stated, “On a day when our Jawans were martyred, we were also watching celebrations at the BJP office. The nation was watching both visuals together.”