Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hit back at the Congress for linking Masood Azhar’s designation as a global terrorist at the United Nations to the ongoing general elections at home. He said that instead of celebrating the action against a terrorist, the grand old party is questioning why it happened only during elections. “Did Modi cabinet take this decision?” the Prime Minister asked. He also said that by asking such questions, the Congress leaders are only making a mockery of themselves.
“Should the United Nations have asked the Congress before declaring Massod Azhar a global terrorist? Should they have asked Madamji before taking this move?” Prime Minister said while addressing a rally in Rajasthan. He was referring to the statements made by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath who had said that Masood Azhar listing should have come much earlier and wondered why it came in the midst of the Lok Sabha election.
पहले संयुक्त राष्ट्र को कांग्रेस से पूछना चाहिए था कि
मैडम जी, नामदार जी, आप लोग जिन्हें ‘जी’ या ‘साहब’ कह कर बुलाते हैं, उन्हें हम अंतरराष्ट्रीय आतंकी घोषित कर दें क्या?
आपको कोई दिक्कत तो नहीं होगी: पीएम मोदी #ModiJahanVikasWahan pic.twitter.com/MtHaHQqtuI
— BJP (@BJP4India) May 3, 2019
The Congress party too in a statement said that it expected the government to act at a greater speed in pursuing the declaration of Masood Azhar, but the PM did not push for the case with China in 2018. It also said that several lives could have been saved had the Centre pushed the international community to agree on the declaration of Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.
मसूद अजहर पर हुए फैसले पर खुशी मनाने के बजाय, कांग्रेस ने उड़वाया अपना मज़ाक! #ModiJahanVikasWahan pic.twitter.com/4yur1VxmSp
— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 3, 2019
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley slammed the Congress for its statements and said that it was unfortunate that it was breaking the years-long practice of speaking in one voice on matters related to internal and external security. He said that the response from the opposition was ‘trivial’. The finance minister also said that the leaders from opposition think that if they join the country in this victory, they might have to pay a price in politics.
“The UNSC recognition of Masood Azhar is an endorsement of India’s position. Every Indian should rejoice this. Why is the Congress Party so reluctant to even smile at this national success?” Jaitley said.