The Congress on Monday stepped up its attack on the BJP for defending the government's decision to confer Padma Shri on Pakistani-origin singer Adnan Sami, saying it exposed the saffron party's "fake nationalism", and "insulted" the Indian soldiers who died during the 1965 war.
Sami, born to a Pakistani Air force veteran who fought in the 1965 war against India, had applied for Indian citizenship in 2015 and became a citizen of the country in January 2016.
"BJP's press conference to defend award to Adnan Sami exposes their fake and pseudo nationalism," Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said.
"When India's former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed's family was declared a foreigner, why did the BJP not hold a press conference narrating his contribution to India. When India' son of soil Mohammad Sanaullah was declared a foreigner, why did the BJP not hold a press conference in his favour," Shergill asked.
However, when a PAF officer's son is given Padma Shri, the BJP holds a press conference in his favour, narrating his contribution, he asserted.
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BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra, in a press conference earlier, said Sami was "highly deserving" of Padma Shri award and hit back at opposition parties over their criticism of the decision, saying they like only those Muslims who "abuse" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Army, the Supreme Court and the country's democracy.
Slamming Patra, Shergill said, "Farzi rashtravadi (fake nationalist) doing nautanki (drama) and insulting Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives in 1965 war, and also others like Kargil war veteran Mohammad Sanaullah, who are being asked to stand in line to prove their citizenship."
The Congress spokesperson also attacked Patra for his remarks that Sami received honours during the previous UPA government, and the Congress leaders had made statements favouring grant of citizenship to him.
"The dispute regarding Padma Shri award to Sami has nothing to do with his Indian citizenship, it is about discriminatory treatment accorded to Indian soldiers and honour being given to the family of a Pakistani soldier,"Shergill added.
The Congress on Sunday criticised the Modi government for bestowing the Padma Shri on Sami and asked why Sannaullah was declared a foreigner through the NRC for Assam. "...This is the magic of NRC and government chamchagiri!," Shergill had tweeted.
Sami was one of the 118 people whose names were announced on Saturday for the Padma Shri awards, with the Ministry of Home Affairs list showing his home state as Maharashtra.
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