Modi busy with film shoot during Pulwama attack: Cong

Launching a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming that he continued to shoot for a “promotional film” at the Jim Corbett National Park on the day the Pulwama terror attack took place.

“The terror attack happened at 3:10 pm, but the prime minister was busy shooting for his promotional film till 6:40 pm,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters citing media reports from Uttarakhand.

At the same time, Surjewala made it clear that the Congress was with the armed forces and the Modi government in every step the take to tackle Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

“But questions need to be asked of a government on the intelligence failure that led to the attack and the priorities of the prime minister who has gone on a tour of South Korea instead of tackling terrorism,” the Congress leader said.

Surjewala said the Congress had exercised self-restraint and refrained from criticising the government for seven days in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, but the Prime Minister and BJP President Amit Shah went about taking political mileage out of the tragic incident.

“Can such conduct be expected from the prime minister of a country. He should have been chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security immediately and should have taken action, instead of shooting films,” he said.

Congress recalled that Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had resigned after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks but the BJP had also politicised the incident by putting out advertisements in newspapers seeking votes in the name of curbing terrorism.

Congress also attacked Modi on “watered-down” joint statement with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who visited India after a two-day trip to Islamabad during which he pledged $20 billion to the country and called himself Pakistan's “friend in need”.

Surjewala also referred the Saudi Prince's Pakistan visit and the joint statement issued in Islamabad that stressed on the need to “avoid politicisation of the UN listing regime.”

“Declaring a terrorist is political? Did Prime Minister Modi not have the courage to ask a friendly country that they amend their statement and ensure that they help in getting Masood Azhar declared a terrorist,” Surjewala asked.