Congress attacks PM Modi on booth workers meeting, says BJP places party over nation

Congress on Thursday slammed the BJP for putting party before the nation in contrary to its claim that nation comes first in its priority.

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for addressing BJP's booth level workers amidst India-Pakistan tension, Congress said: "It is really shocking that when the nation wants its leadership to speak, the Prime Minister chose to address the booth workers of BJP rather than addressing the nation."

Whereas the Congress postponed its CWC meeting and other political programmes, said Congress leader Manish Tiwari adding, "We believed that this is not the appropriate time to go ahead with political programmes."

He told media persons that the conduct of BJP since the pre-emptive non-military strike is a matter of "grave anguish".

He said, "It is unfortunate that at a point when the priority should be of further strengthening the nation, the Prime Minister thinks that this is the time to strengthen their electoral booths. In speeches, the PM doesn't stop saying that the country is bigger than the party but now in such sensitive situation it seems as if he believes that the party is greater than the country."

Terming Pakistan's incursion as chicanery, Congress also stated that Pakistan's misadventure comes after four decades of using semi-state actors and proxies against India.

Tiwari also attacked the Home Minister for having political engagement on a day when an Indian pilot went 'missing in action' and demanded the earliest release of Wing Commander Abhinandan.

"Yesterday, the Home Minister was in Chhattisgarh attending political programmes of BJP on a day when Wing Commander Abhinandan displayed exemplary courage, poise and dignity in the face of adversity," Tiwari said adding, "We strongly condemn the treatment meted out to Abhinandan which is the clear violation of the Geneva Convention. However the sensitivity of the entire situation is completely lost in BJP," said Tiwari

Citing former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa's statement, Congress said: "BJP leader Yeddyurappa said that pre-emptive military strike will help BJP win 22 out of 27-28 seats in Karnataka and then there are usual motor mouth in government saying that all those who do not participate in the NDA rally on the March 3rd will actually be considered as Pakistanis. All these statements play in the hands of Pakistani propaganda and we would like to tell the BJP and NDA government that they need to control their motor mouths. This is not the time for crass politics. The nation today stands as one but it is time that the BJP-led NDA government comes together as one."

On Wednesday, leaders of opposition parties have urged the central government to take the nation into confidence on all measures to protect India's sovereignty, unity and integrity.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had also stated that the leaders have observed that the Prime Minister has regrettably not convened an all-party meeting as per the established practice in a democracy.