Appalled at comments by Cong’s Saifuddin Soz, National Conference’s Farooq Abdullah on holding talks with Pakistan, says BJP

'They are making these anti-national statements at a time when our soldiers are making their last journey,' he said.

The BJP on Friday slammed the Opposition which has been accusing the ruling party of carrying out G20 celebrations even as three soldiers lost their lives. BJP said that it was appalled at the comments of leaders like Congress’s Saifuddin Soz and National Conference’s Farooq Abdullah who have advocated reaching out to Pakistan.

“Soz has said that India should not only talk to Pakistan but should also try to understand what is going on in the minds of terrorists. He had earlier written in his book that Jammu and Kashmir should be separated. Farooq Abdullah and other leaders have also mentioned talks with Pakistan. They are making these anti-national statements at a time when our soldiers are making their last journey,” party spokesperson Sambit Patra said.

He said that Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi have given their tacit approval to the matter by keeping quiet. “Let’s not forget that leaders of Congress Party and Aam Aadmi Party had once asked the Indian Army for proof of surgical strike,” Patra said.

He also lashed out the Opposition over the boycott of over 14 journalists by the I.N.D.I.A parties and said that the Constitution (First Amendment) Act 1951 was moved by Jawaharlal Nehru on May 10, 1951, which placed restrictions on free speech. “The 1975 Emergency under Indira Gandhi saw freedom of speech being suppressed like never before. The Rajiv Gandhi government presented the Defamation Bill 1988 in an attempt to impose censorship on the media, especially on investigative journalism,” he added.

“When Congress leaders ask questions on surgical strikes and air strikes, it is justified, there is no boycott of them. But when journalists ask questions in a debate, they are boycotted,” he added.