BJP slams Congress over ‘Rafale toy’ jibe, calls it a ‘fifth column’
The BJP on Monday accused the Congress and its allies of acting as a “fifth column” that undermines the morale of the Indian armed forces, following controversial remarks by Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajai Rai.
Rai had mocked the government’s response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack by displaying a toy plane representing a Rafale fighter jet, adorned with lemons and chillies — a gesture meant to ridicule the alleged inaction in retaliating against terrorism.
Reacting sharply, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi drew a stark comparison between Pakistan’s military and the opposition bloc INDIA, claiming the former violates the ceasefire from across the border, while the latter attacks the armed forces through public statements from within the country.
“This is not an isolated remark,” Trivedi said, alleging that opposition leaders have repeatedly made statements aimed at lowering the morale of security forces.
He also pointed out that while Pakistani leaders are rarely quoted in Indian media for criticising their military, Indian opposition politicians are often cited in Pakistan for their comments against India’s defence establishment.
Trivedi highlighted the contrast in national unity, stating that despite its troubled democracy, Pakistan often presents a united political front on national security, whereas Indian opposition leaders continue to question their own armed forces.
He also criticised the Congress party’s official position of supporting the government in its response to the terror attack, calling it hypocritical. “It’s like Pakistan talking about peace while sponsoring terrorism behind the scenes,” he said.
The BJP leader stated that there had not been a single instance during the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government about cancelling bilateral conversations with Pakistan over terrorist incidents while on the other hand, there has not been a single instance of the Narendra Modi-led government opting bilateral peace talks with Pakistan.
“This is proof of how differently both think. I am pained by the statements being given by the Congress…Ajay Rai ji…tried to poke fun by showing a toy plane with Rafale written on it and nimbu mirchis…I want to tell the people of the country that just a few days before this, in the same Uttar Pradesh, the Rafale landed and took off from the Ganga Expressway–which was a direct answer to Pakistan and the enemies of our nation,” he said.
India