Congress reacts to BJP jab over Turkey, Azerbaijan: 'Has Centre snapped ties...'
Turkey and Azerbaijan publicly supported Pakistan during the latter's four-day conflict with India.
Reacting to the BJP's swipe at it for parrying a query on calls for boycotting trade and tourism with Turkey and Azerbaijan, the Congress on Wednesday asked the Centre to clarify if it is mulling snapping diplomatic ties with the two nations for backing Pakistan during its military conflict with India.
Turkey and Azerbaijan publicly supported Pakistan during the latter's four-day conflict with India. Pakistan reportedly used Turkish drones in its attacks against Indian cities and military installations.
The Congress' assertion came after the BJP's IT department head, Amit Malviya, said on X, "The country is enraged by the support Turkey and Azerbaijan have extended to the terror state of Pakistan. There has been a growing call to boycott trade and tourism with these countries, and private citizens have stood up in solidarity."
But, Malviya claimed, the Congress couldn't even bring itself to align with the broader sentiment of the Indian people. He added, “No wonder it remains so disconnected from the public. It deserves its political oblivion and complete isolation.”
Reacting to the remark, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar must clarify India's position regarding Turkey and Azerbaijan.
"Since this question is being raised by an office bearer of the BJP, @PMOIndia & @DrSJaishankar should immediately clarify if the government of India has snapped all diplomatic & trade relations with Turkey and has also shut their embassy in India. The decision on whether or not to have a relationship with any country has to be taken by the government and not the opposition. @MEAIndia kindly clarify," Khera wrote on X.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said, “In the same vein,@PMOIndia and@DrSJaishankar should also clarify why the Modi Government has pursued normalisation with China despite its continued encroachment on Indian territory—or indeed why the PM lied to the people of India and irrevocably hurt national interests on June 19th, 2020, by giving China a public clean chit for its encroachments.”
Also read: India jammed Chinese air defences used by Pakistan
Operation Sindoor
Responding to the Pahalgam attack in which terrorists killed 26 people, Indian forces destroyed nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists. Rattled by India's action, Pakistan fired a barrage of drones and other projectiles, targeting Indian cities and military installations. The Indian armed forces thwarted these attacks and badly damaged several Pakistani air bases in retaliatory strikes.
After a four-day hostilities, Pakistan's DGMO called his Indian counterpart seeking a ceasefire. New Delhi and Islamabad later announced a ceasefire understanding, marking a cessation of military actions.
PM Modi this week warned Pakistan that New Delhi won't tolerate nuclear blackmail. He said terror and talks cannot go together, terror and trade cannot go together, and blood and water cannot flow together.
“We have only paused our retaliatory action against terror and military bases in Pakistan. In the coming days, every step taken by Pakistan will be monitored ... any terror attack will get a befitting response, on our terms, in our way,” Modi said in an address to the nation.
