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Pahalgam Terror Attack News: A row has erupted over the statement of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law and businessman Robert Vadra on the Pahalgam terror attack. Vadra said that the reason behind the attack was the fact that Muslims in the country feel they are being "mistreated". Now, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched an attack on Vadra and sought an apology from him.
Vadra condemned the terror attack and said that communal issues make people feel vulnerable. He said it is time to separate politics and religion, and political parties should introspect.
"When this terrorist act took place, they (terrorists) were looking at IDs, people who were non-Muslims were attacked and messages were given to the prime minister. Why is this happening? Because, they are feeling that Muslims are being mistreated in our country," Vadra told ANI.
While making the statement, he clarified that it was his personal view and he was not speaking on behalf of the Congress party or his family.
"As is said terrorism does not look at any kind of religion. But .. I feel that whenever in a country there are communal issues, people feel vulnerable. There is a division and we see that in our country," he added.
"I see that the minorities are sidelined. When they are praying, they are not allowed to do so on their roofs. If they are in abundance praying on a Thursday or Friday and there is a spillover on the road, they are stopped... there are surveys of mosques," Vadra, husband of Priyanka Gandhi, further said.
He added that the Enforcement Directorate had summoned him when he last spoke for minorities but he will continue to raise his voice whenever any wrong happens.
"Why is it that one religion can celebrate their Gods and beliefs on the roads and we all have to adhere to them and when the Muslims are praying for their Gods, they are stopped?...If we are not united, we are going to be vulnerable and any bordering country will take advantage of this," Vadra said.
"It is time we need to unite and we need to separate politics and religion. Religion-based politics will always cause division and separation and no progress. The political parties need to introspect. When I say this, these are my thoughts and it is not the thought of the Congress party or my family," he added, quoted the news agency.
The BJP slammed Vadra for his remarks and accused him of speaking the language of the terrorists and justifying their terrible actions. The party sought a clarification from Congress party also.
"Robert Vadra’s remarks are completely condemnable," BJP national spokesperson Nalin Kohli told PTI.
"This is the same language that terrorists always use to justify their terrorism. It’s clear from Robert Vadra’s remarks that he wants to do politics on such a gruesome terror attack when the entire country is united against it," he added, while seeking an apology from Vadra.
"On the one hand Congress president (Mallikarjun Kharge) says the party is with the government while on the hand Nehru-Gandhi family member Robert Vadra says there is a need to go behind its (terror attack’s) root cause,” he said.
"What kind of justice is he seeking for the victims who the terrorists had shot dead after asking about their religion. The Congress should immediately issue a clarification. Robert Vadra should apologise," he added.
Nalin Kohli said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to Delhi after the terror attack.
Attacking Vadra on X, BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya said, "Shocking! Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra shamelessly defends an act of terror, offering cover to the terrorists instead of condemning them. He doesn’t stop there, instead, shifts the blame onto India for the atrocities committed by Pakistani terrorists."
Vadra had said he would personally visit the family of the victim who hailed from Karnal. He also added that our forces "are very strong and they will definitely look into it and will give a reply to Pakistan that we will not take this".
