New Delhi [India], April 30 : Bharatiya Janata Party leader CR Kesavan launched a blistering attack on the Congress on Wednesday, claiming that the party has "failed in its national duty and has forsaken national interests and has completely let our people down," taking a jibe at the new deleted post of the Congress where they accused PM of avoiding responsibility.
Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, Kesavan asked how the Congress leader would be able to face the families of the victims of the Pahalgam attack.
"The unprincipled Congress party has failed in its national duty and has forsaken national interests and has completely let our people down. Today, with what face is Mr. Rahul Gandhi going to meet the grieving family of Shubham Dwivedi ji, the courageous victim who was killed in Pahalgam? His wife has said that the terrorists had come to them and asked them whether you're a Hindu or a Muslim. When they proudly said they were Hindu, they shot Shubham," Kesavan told ANI here in Delhi.
He further criticised the Congress leader for not condemning the remarks of R B Timmapur, who had claimed that the terrorists did not ask for the religion of the people before killing them.
"Rahul Gandhi never condemned Karnataka minister R. B. Timmapur statement when he insensitively said think practically, will the terrorists go and ask the religion of somebody before shooting. Will Rahul Gandhi apologise to this family and all the other families for the way in which the Congress leaders insulted the integrity of these families and humiliated the memories of the victims?" the BJP leader said.
Accusing the Opposition of "giving dangerous ammunition and fuel to Pakistan," he criticised the new deleted 'gayab' tweet of the party, in which the party had claimed that the Prime Minister in 'Gayab' (gone) when it is time to take responsibility.
"Whether it is the tweet, you know, they made against Prime Minister personally attacking him, it was not just an attack on Prime Minister Modi, it was an attack on the country and the people when they tweeted such disgusting things. The Congress leadership and how they have conducted themselves and undermine trying to undermine our country and our confidence will never be forgiven or forgotten by our people," the BJP leader added.
He further accused the Congress of protecting and shielding Pakistan, demanding that such an act be stopped and also demanded that Gandhi apologise to the victim's families too.
"I think Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership should stop protecting and shielding Pakistan and also should first apologise to the families of the victims," he added.
In a now deleted post of the party due to severe backlash from BJP leaders, the party had posted an image of a kurta-pyjama and black sandals with the word "GAYAB" and the caption "Jimmedariyo ke samay-Gayab" (Missing during the time of responsibility).
BJP slammed Congress for the post, accusing it of echoing Pakistan's narrative in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir which killed 26 people.