NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai defended his “toy Rafale” jibe on the Centre, stating his intent was to induce defence minister Rajnath Singh to take decisive motion towards terrorism after Pahalgam terror attack which claimed 26 lives.
The clarification got here after BJP leaders strongly criticised Rai for allegedly undermining army morale.
“It’s time to give a reply to those that killed our individuals in Pahalgam. When the defence minister went to take supply of Rafale, he hung lemon-chillies on Rafale,” Rai stated.
“I simply needed to open his eyes and present him that the individuals of the nation need motion towards terrorism. Strictest motion ought to be taken towards the terrorists, and the individuals giving them help ought to be completed,” he added.
Earlier, an argument erupted after Rai displayed a toy Rafale plane adorned with lemons and chillies, mocking the federal government’s buy of Rafale jets by claiming they had been merely sitting in hangars with conventional ward-off-evil decorations.
“Terrorist actions have elevated within the nation, and individuals are struggling due to it. Our youth misplaced their lives within the Pahalgam terror assault. However this authorities, which talks rather a lot and says that they may crush terrorists — they introduced Rafale, however they’re of their hangars with chillies and lemons hanging on them. When will they take motion towards terrorists, those that help them, and their backers?” Rai stated.
The reference to lemons and chillies appeared to mock Rajnath Singh’s 2019 conventional ceremony throughout India’s first Rafale jet acquisition in France, the place he carried out a “puja” by putting lemons underneath the plane’s wheels and a coconut on high.
‘Grave offence of aiding Pakistan’
Following Rai’s remarks, BJP leaders alleged that his feedback recommended grave offence of aiding Pakistan.
“Have a look at Ajay Rai, UP president of the pro-Pakistan Congress get together, who’s making headlines in Pakistani newspapers and channels. This can be a conspiracy by the anti-Modi Congress get together to interrupt the morale of the Military,” BJP MP Nishikant Dubey posted on X.
BJP chief Tarun Chugh additionally slammed the Congress, accusing it of intentionally concentrating on the armed forces.
“The Congress get together is sadly working a calculated conspiracy to demoralize India’s courageous safety forces. The very weapons that our troopers revere and use to defend the nation are being mocked by Congress. By doing so, they’re committing the grave offense of aiding Pakistan. Their actions are disgraceful, shameful, vulgar, silly, utterly inappropriate—and in the end anti-national,” Chugh stated.