Nagpur, April 28 (IANS) Maharashtra Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Monday stoked a controversy by questioning the Hindu targeting in the Pahalgam terror attack, saying that do terrorists have the time to ask for the religious identity of the victims.
“The government should take responsibility for the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack. The government is saying that terrorists killed people after asking them about their religion. Do terrorists have time for all this? Some people say that this did not happen. Terrorists have no caste or religion. Catch those who are responsible and take action. This is the sentiment of the country,” he said.
However, he later clarified, “The main purpose of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam is to create a rift between two religions, disrupt the unity of India and create instability in the country. Strictest action should be taken against terrorists and those who support them. Congress will support whatever action the government takes. It is imperative to break such anti-national tendencies for the integrity and national security of India. India is one and will remain one.”
He said that the Congress party has strongly condemned the terror attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam, claiming it was a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack. The party has demanded that strict action be taken against the terrorists who carried out this attack and that terrorism be permanently eradicated.
“The demand of all ordinary Indians, including myself, today is the complete destruction of the terrorists who are committing cowardly attacks on innocent citizens. The cowardly attack on innocent civilians by terrorists in Pahalgam is extremely saddening and infuriating. I hope that our brave soldiers will definitely give a befitting reply to this cowardly attack,” he said.
Wadettiwar accused CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and the Mahayuti ministers of engaging in a credit war over the evacuation of the tourists from Kashmir after the terror attack.
Referring to the statement by Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske that Eknath Shinde made air travel possible for those who have never travelled by plane, he asked, “What is this time, has no one realised who should take what credit? Is it more important to make tourists happy or to take credit for bringing them back in a plane?”
“Tourists from Maharashtra died in Pahalgam, some were injured, some are stranded. Instead of giving them courage, there was a competition to see who would get there first. The Deputy Chief Minister visited Kashmir without any need. Further, the Shinde Sena MP told reporters how much they have done for tourists from Maharashtra. All the ministers and MPs in the Mahayuti government have abandoned their sense of responsibility! At least in such incidents, stop marketing yourself,” he observed.
–IANS
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