Pak boat interception: Congress negating security forces role, says BJP

Accusing Congress of playing “dirty politics” over the Pakistani boat issue, the BJP on Monday demanded that its vice president Rahul Gandhi clarify whether he supports his party leaders speaking Pakistan’s language.

The BJP said that Mr. Gandhi, who has so far remained silent on the issue, should have come out in support of the role played by the security forces in averting a possible terror attack.

By remaining silent, Mr. Gandhi is according his nod to the Congress spokespersons who have raised question marks about the role of security agencies in the episode which occurred off the coast of Gujarat on New Year’s night, the BJP said.

“While the whole nation is appreciating the role of the security forces in aborting a 26/11-like attack, Congress is negating the role of alert security forces. (It) is playing dirty politics on the issue of terror.

“Rahul Gandhi should clarify if he favours his spokespersons supporting the cause of terrorists and Pakistan,” BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma told reporters here.

Remarks by Congress leaders raising doubt over the incident are lowering the morale of the forces who are constantly on the vigil protecting the land and sea boundaries of the country, he said.

“After its bad defeat in elections in the country and going by the pro-Pakistan language of its leaders, is Congress planning to contest (elections in Pakistan under the leadership of Hafiz Saeed, as there is a leadership crisis within it,” he said.

Mr. Sharma also charged that Congress leaders have in the past played politics on the issue of terror by speaking out in favour of terrorists.