Pathetic bid to divert public attention: Cong slams PM’s veiled jibe at Nehru

After PM Narendra Modi’s veiled dig at the country’s first PM Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary, the Congress on Tuesday called it a “pathetic attempt” to divert the country’s attention while terming it akin to Bollywood dialogues on sensitive topics that confront the country at present.

Addressing a gathering in Gujarat, PM Modi took a veiled jibe at decisions made by Nehru in 1947, while stressing that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s counsel was disregarded.

Modi said a crucial opportunity to reclaim PoK in 1947 was missed due to a disregard for Patel’s firm stance. Patel believed military action shouldn’t cease until PoK was reclaimed by India, he added.

In response to the PM’s remark, senior Congress leader and MP Jairam Ramesh wrote on X, “Even on Nehru’s death anniversary, the nation’s supreme (mis) leader and master “distorian” is active in Nehru-bashing. This is a pathetic attempt at diverting attention from many serious issues that confront us today, which he must answer (sic).”

Ramesh also raised questions about the whereabouts of terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack. “Are they still moving around somewhere, more so since they were reportedly involved in the terror attacks in Poonch in December 2023, Gagangir in October 2024 and Gulmarg in October 2024?” he said.

He also questioned the PM’s silence on US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he used trade to broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

Ramesh took another jibe on the PM, citing close ties between China and Pakistan. He pointed out that it was “the same China to whom he (PM) had given a clean chit on June 19, 2020”.

Earlier, Congress leader Pawan Khera equated PM Modi’s assertions akin to Bollywood dialogues on sensitive topics.

He also accused the BJP of “finding an opportunity in crisis (Pahalgam attack)”.

“The BJP has been doing low-level politics right from April 22. They kept doing politics of division and their people kept harassing Kashmiris and minorities. Meanwhile, the BJP’s accounts on social media spread religious hatred. They did work which Jinnah, Jaish and Pakistan would have wanted,” Khera told reporters. He further claimed that the country’s foreign policy had suffered during the tenure of PM Modi.