BJP's dig at Congress over 'sting' on Khalistani separatists

The Bharatiya Janata Party alleged Thursday that a "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) of "break India" forces, including Khalistani separatists, is being formed and the Congress is a part of it.

"Pakistan is the most important component of the 'mahagathbandhan', along with the Congress," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed.

He cited a purported sting on three Khalistani secessionists to claim that they have been running down India and lauding countries such as China. This is something Congress president Rahul Gandhi also does, he added.

Gandhi has been claiming that freedom and jobs are not there in India and that minorities are harassed here, Patra alleged.

These separatists see Pakistan as an ally, he said and referred to Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu's praise of the welcome he received in the neighbouring country to draw a parallel.

At a press conference, the ruling party also played a video showing the comments of these separatists and those of some opposition leaders, including Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and Congress's Ghulam Nabi Azad, Shashi Tharoor, Gandhi and Sidhu, under the title "Khalistan-break India nexus exposed".

He also hit out at Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly taking support from Khalistani separatists during the Punjab assembly election.

"He should be put in the dock over it," Patra said.

Khalistani separatists have been recorded saying that they funded the AAP and campaigned for it, he claimed.

He also said the Narendra Modi government has walked the talk by deporting seven Rohingya people to Myanmar despite "support" to these illegal immigrants from the Congress and the TMC.

Asked about the reported comments of an adviser to the Bangladesh prime minister that India has assured his country that those identified as infiltrators by the National Register of Citizens exercise in Assam would not be deported, Patra said India would follow the three Ds of detection, detention and deportation.

He added that he was not aware the adviser's comments.