New Delhi [India]: BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Saturday launched a pointed attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of “speaking the language of Pakistan” and claiming that the Congress party and Pakistan are now ‘hyphenated’ in rhetoric and narrative.
“Rahul Gandhi says that India and Pakistan have been hyphenated. But the fact is that Congress and Pakistan have been hyphenated. Congress has been constantly speaking the language of Pakistan DG ISPR,” Poonawalla said in a statement to ANI.
He further ridiculed Gandhi’s recent criticisms of India’s foreign policy and the government’s handling of Operation Sindoor, suggesting that Gandhi’s interpretation of his role as LoP is misplaced.
“Rahul Gandhi thinks that ‘LoP’ stands for ‘Leader of Pakistan’. Even as the entire world — including Pakistani Parliamentarians — acknowledges the success of Operation Sindoor, Congress continues to echo the narrative of Pakistan,” Poonawalla added.
Congress’s Criticism of Government’s Foreign Policy
Poonawalla’s remarks come in response to a series of posts by Rahul Gandhi on social media, where the Congress leader alleged a “collapse” of India’s foreign policy under the BJP-led NDA government. In a pointed post on X (formerly Twitter), Gandhi raised three key questions:
- Why has India been “hyphenated” with Pakistan?
- Why didn’t a single country back India in condemning Pakistan?
- Who invited Donald Trump to mediate between India and Pakistan?
Gandhi also reposted an interview clip of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stating, “India’s foreign policy has collapsed.”
Earlier, he had directly questioned Jaishankar’s silence regarding Indian Air Force losses during Operation Sindoor, accusing the government of withholding information from the public.
“This wasn’t a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth,” Gandhi said, urging transparency on potential military casualties.
Background: Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, as a strategic retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives. The Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, striking known hubs of Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Over 100 terrorists were reportedly neutralized in the operation, which also included airstrikes on 11 Pakistani airbases. The operation ended with a ceasefire agreement on May 10.
Escalating Political War of Words
The political fallout from Operation Sindoor has led to sharpened exchanges between BJP and Congress, especially as India engages in an international diplomatic push through all-party delegations.
BJP leaders have accused Congress of undermining national unity during a time when India is projecting a strong, united stance on global terrorism. Congress, meanwhile, continues to demand transparency and accountability from the government on the operation’s planning and aftermath.