Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President JP Nadda has accused Sonia Gandhi, the former president of the Congress Party, of shedding tears for terrorists. He made this accusation during an election rally in Bihar’s Madhubani, alleging that the Congress and its allies always support those who try to weaken India. “During the Batla encounter, terrorists were killed and their (Congress) leaders said that Sonia Gandhi cried. She cried for terrorists. What is your relation with traitors? What is the reason behind your sympathy? What do you like in them?,” Nadda said.
Nadda’s remarks were a reference to Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s 2012 statement that Gandhi had shed tears after seeing images from the Batla House encounter case. However, another Congress leader, Digvijaya Singh, refuted this claim in the same year.
The Batla House encounter took place in September 2008, resulting in the deaths of Delhi police inspector Mohan Sharma and two terrorists, Atif and Sajid. The encounter raised questions about the use of excessive force by the police, and the Congress Party had demanded an independent inquiry.
Nadda’s accusation against Gandhi has been met with criticism from the Congress Party, which has accused the BJP of trying to polarize voters ahead of the upcoming Bihar assembly elections. The Congress has also pointed out that Gandhi has consistently condemned terrorism and supported the security forces.
The BJP and the Congress are currently engaged in a war of words over the issue of religious reservations. The BJP has accused the Congress of promising to grant religion-based reservations, while the Congress has denied this allegation.
The Batla House encounter and the issue of religious reservations are likely to be key issues in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
