Modi, Shah trying to draw 'political mileage' from Pulwama attack: Yechury

CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, saying they were trying to draw "political mileage" out of the terrorist attack in Pulwama.

CPIM along with all opposition parties have said that fight against terrorism is a fight of "United India" against terrorism, he said, while participating in a public rally, here.

"Instead of building that unity, the moment Pulwama terror took place and after Indian Air Fore response in Balakhot, we all said we are proud of our Indian Air Force. They have hit the targets. We are proud of our wing commander Abhinandhan who comes from Tamil Nadu", he said.

Abhinandhan Vardhaman showed exemplary courage and he was forced to be returned by Pakistan, Yechury said.

"All of this happened when the unity of the country was most important. When everybody else expressed that unity, it was Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and BJP President (Amit Shah), who are trying to draw political mileage out of this so that they can utilise that for their electoral advantage. This is the biggest disservice they are doing", Yechury said.

Sufficing his point, he said, during the last five years of Modi's rule and if one compares it with previous five years under UPA-II from 2009 to 2014 and from 2014-2019, "the number of terror strikes has increased from 109 in previous five years to 626 under the government of Narendra Modi."