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Congress chief's 'Vishwaguru's daawat’ dig after Amit Shah attacks Gaurav Gogoi over Pakistan visit
Mallikarjun Kharge attacks BJP for its past engagement with Pakistan, accusing it of hypocrisy and emphasising Congress's contributions to nation-building.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking during the monsoon session of Parliament, on Tuesday launched a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his visit to Pakistan and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of hypocrisy in dealing with Pakistan and running a “factory of lies”.
Addressing the Upper House during a debate on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, Kharge said, “We have always condemned Pakistan. But while we condemn them here, you attend their ‘daawats’ and hug them. You have a habit of going places uninvited. None of the members present in this House went there. But over there, a friend, a Guru, or perhaps a Vishwaguru showed up…”
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Without naming anyone directly, the Congress leader’s remarks appeared to target PM Narendra Modi over his meeting with his then Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, during a surprise visit to Lahore in 2015.
Kharge's swipe comes shortly after Union home minister Amit Shah lashed out at Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, claiming he visited Pakistan "many times", and urged the leader to visit the border as well to witness the plight of Indian soldiers.
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Reacting to Amit Shah's attack, Gaurav Gogoi said he visited the neighbouring country before Modi went there "to eat biryani".
Participating in the debate on Operation Sindoor in Lok Sabha, Amit Shah heaped praise on India's move, and also hailed the killing of three terrorists who were involved in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
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Kharge also underlined the Congress party’s legacy in nation-building and contrasted it with what he described as the ruling party’s focus on misinformation. “We have a long and proud history, my party does. The contribution we have made in building this nation is unmatched. All you have done is set up a factory of lies,” he said.
