New Delhi [India], July 29 : DMK MP Kanimozhi on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Centre during the Lok Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor, questioning its handling of recent terror incidents and accusing it of deflecting accountability.
She emphasised that the government's failure to learn from past mistakes has led to a lack of trust among the people.
"What has the Vishwaguru learnt from these terror attacks? You can't keep talking about Operation Sindoor and expect us not to ask questions. This is a failure of a government that has failed the people of this country. You can't keep talking about the past and expect us to forget today's issues. Vishwaguru has not learnt any lessons. He has not taught anything," Kanimozhi said.
Kanimozhi took on the Modi government in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing debate on Operation Sindoor, accusing it of indulging in divisive politics and excluding the Opposition from key briefings on national security.
"Dividing the country, not standing when they need you -- is not something we expect. We don't stand by you for your divisive politics. Have you ever invited us after the foreign delegation to update us on developments," she said.
Kanimozhi expressed mixed feelings about the Opposition's involvement in the Operation Sindoor global outreach, appreciating the BJP's gesture of sending Opposition leaders as part of the delegation but emphasising that the circumstances leading to the delegation's formation were unfortunate.
"For the first time, the BJP has shown some confidence in the Opposition, and they sent us out as leaders of (MPs) delegations to represent this country. I thank them. But also, I would like to say, if the opportunity to lead these delegations had not arisen, then we would have been happier and more grateful...We had to go on these delegations (MPs delegation on Operation Sindoor global outreach) because peace had failed us, and you (central govt) had failed the people of India...," said the DMK MP.
Kanimozhi countered Home Minister Amit Shah's speech, which she said implied that opposition parties were "less patriotic," reminding him that the DMK was the first party to take out a rally in support of the Defence forces and stood with the government during the all-party meeting.
"The Home Minister, in his speech, made us sound less patriotic. We have never failed this nation. The DMK was the first party which took out a rally in support of our Defence forces. When you called for an all-party meeting, we came and said that we stand with you."
Referring to the Home Minister's remark that the BJP would remain in power for the next 20 years, she responded, "We don't mind sitting in the Opposition for 20 years, because the will of the people is supreme and we will bow to it. But it should be the people who make us sit in the Opposition--not the Election Commission or the SIR (Special Intensive Revision)."
"We need to protect democracy. I hope the next discussion will be about protecting democracy and the election system in this country," said DMK MP Kanimozhi in the Parliament.
Kanimozhi questioned India's foreign policy during Operation Sindoor debate in Lok Sabha, asking the Centre to list the countries which openly came to support of India in the aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack.
"When you called for an all-party leaders' meeting, the leaders from the opposition party came and said that we stand with you. We stood with this country. You are against us. You rewrite, reinvent history in all your speeches," said DMK MP Kanimozhi.
She also criticised BJP for its frequent criticism of Jawaharlal Nehru, saying even the Congress does not remember the former Prime Minister as much as the BJP does.
"Even the Congress doesn't remember the Congress as much as you do. But I want to thank you for that -- because of you, people in Tamil Nadu have gone back to reading about Periyar and Ambedkar, and people everywhere have returned to reading Nehru," added Kanimozhi.
Earlier in his address inside the Parliament, Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Yesterday, they (Congress) were raising questions about why there was no war....Today, PoK exists only because of Jawaharlal Nehru...In 1960, they gave 80% of the Indus waters to Pakistan....In 1971, during the Simla Agreement, they (Congress) forgot about PoK. If they had taken PoK then, we would not have to carry out attacks on camps there now."
She took a dig at the Central government, suggesting that their mistakes, which they blame on Nehru, are a testament to Nehru's enduring influence.
She said, "I don't think that the Congress party remembers Jawaharlal Nehru ji as much as you do. But I should thank you for that, because so many young people in TN have gone back to read Periyar and Ambedkar. And today all over the world young people are finding out and want to know about Jawaharlal Nehruji because a person who had such power to change history and imagine having such kind of power, that even you, whatever mistake you commit, is because of him."