#JantaMaafNahiKaregi: Shame, tweets Narendra Modi, BJP leaders after Sam Pitroda's 'can't blame all of Pakistan' remark

Just when Congress was hoping to bury the BJP’s nationalistic narrative spurred by Balakot airstrikes, party’s overseas chief Sam Pitroda has brought it back on the forefront by questioning the death toll in the airstrike conducted by Indian Air Force (IAF) in Pakistan on 26 February. Several BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday took to Twitter to respond to his comments.

In a series of tweets, the prime minister wrote:

The most trusted advisor and guide of the Congress President has kick-started the Pakistan National Day celebrations on behalf of the Congress, ironically by demeaning India’s armed forces.

Shame! https://t.co/puSjTK8Y4x

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2019

Loyal courtier of Congress’ royal dynasty admits what the nation already knew- Congress was unwilling to respond to forces of terror.

This is a New India- we will answer terrorists in a language they understand and with interest! https://t.co/Mul4LIbKb5

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2019

Opposition insults our forces time and again.

I appeal to my fellow Indians- question Opposition leaders on their statements.

Tell them- 130 crore Indians will not forgive or forget the Opposition for their antics.

India stands firmly with our forces. #JantaMaafNahiKaregi https://t.co/rwpFKMMeHY

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2019

Pitroda, who is a close confidante of Congress president Rahul Gandhi,  in an interview to ANI said: “If they (IAF) killed 300, it is okay. All I am saying is can you give me more facts and prove it."  Pitroda is also a part of the Congress’ manifesto committee for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, and is considered a senior ideologue of the party. 

Alongside the prime minister, Union minister Arun Jaitley also reacted to Pitroda’s remarks. He said, “He (Pitroda) believes what we did was wrong. No country in the world said this, not even the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) said this, only Pakistan was of this view. Unfortunate such people are ideologues of a political party”

Union minister Smriti Irani also tweeted criticism for Pitroda’s comments, using the hashtag #JantaMaafNahiKaregi (The public will not forgive):

‘Naive’ to bring a terror state to justice? Now the Nation knows why @RahulGandhi UPA chose not to respond with the full might of India post 26/11. Congress sympathies with Pakistan stand exposed. No wonder you supported the ‘Bharat tere tukde honge’ gang. #JantaMaafNahiKaregi https://t.co/Ce7H5gAgl9

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 22, 2019

Other BJP leaders also used the hashtag in their tweets:

Mr. Sam Pitroda,

I am appalled by your sense of sympathy towards the terrorists. Your statement doesn't only insult the Jawans fighting 24x7 to protect the country but also lacks compassion for all the Indians who lost their lives due to these terror forces. #JantaMaafNahiKaregi https://t.co/dLSBHUNtJv

— R. K. Singh (@RajKSinghIndia) March 22, 2019

This statement by Sam Pitroda clearly shows the pain of the congress party when the terrorists in Pakistan are being attacked. Shame on you to question the valour of our Armed Forces.

We are and will always be proud of our forces. 🇮🇳#JantaMaafNahiKaregi https://t.co/e5vpIeqvAW

— Jitu Vaghani (@jitu_vaghani) March 22, 2019

BJP MP Vijay Kumar Singh added that the Congress leader should “confine” himself to topics that he knows about, and not make comments that “support another country.”

When asked on his views on the airstrike against the Jaish-e-Mohammad camp in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, Pitroda had said that international news outlets had an alternate view of the impact of the air strike and that the people of India deserved to know the facts of the Air Force operation. However, he is scheduled to issue a clarification on his statements later on Wednesday, ANI reported.

“I would like to know a little more because I read reports in the New York Times and other newspapers. Did we really attack? We really killed 300 people? I don’t know that. As a citizen, I am entitled to know and if I ask it is my duty to ask, that doesn’t mean I’m not a nationalist, That doesn’t mean I am on this side or that side. We need to know the facts. If you say 300 people were killed,  I need to know that. We all need to know that, people of India need to know that and then comes global media which says nobody was killed. I look bad as an Indian citizen,” he had said.

Pressed further to clarify if talks with Pakistan was an option post the Pulwama terror attack which killed 40 CRPF jawans, Pitroda said that it would be naïve to assume that if some people came here and attacked, every citizen of that nation is to be blamed. “I don’t know much about (Pulwama) attack, it happens all the time, attack happen in Mumbai Taj hotel and Oberoi hotel. We could have reacted then and sent our planes but that is not the right approach according to me that’s not how you deal with the World. Eight people come (referring to Mumbai 26/11 attacks) and do something, you don’t jump on the entire nation,” said Sam Pitroda in an interview to ANI.

 With inputs from ANI