BJP attacks Congress for trying to 'demoralise forces'; says under Narendra Modi's leadership, 'the country won't budge'

In a counter press conference to Congress media address earlier in the day, BJP's Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the facade of unity which the Opposition had put immediately after the Pulwama attack has come crumbling down with the grand old party launching into political mudslinging and rhetorics days after the terror strike which killed 40 CRPF personnel.Prasad said that "when the whole country is one, when its morale is high, when countries after countries are passing resolutions condemning the Pulwama attack and standing by the government, at that juncture the Congress is raising vacuous questions and trying to puncture the morale of the country and specially of the armed forces." He said that this is the same party that called the army chief names, demanded proof for surgical strikes and conducted a dubious press conference in London in the presence of one of its senior members without raising a single question, who is now in turn raising questions on the prime minister's conduct and the intentions of the ruling dispensation. "What can we expect from such a party?" he asked.[caption id="attachment_6129271" align="alignleft" width="380"]

Ravi Shankar Prasad addresses a press conference on Thursday. ANI[/caption]"The style and content of what the Congress party's spokesperson said today and Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan were very similar,... they will be happy seeing our principal opposition attacking and questioning our own prime minister."He talked about the valour of the soldiers and their families while mentioning Major Vibhuti Dhoundhiyal's wife's courage who said in her parting salute to the slain officer that the nation should not budge and despite the families of soldiers showing such courage, the Congress is casting aspersion on the fervour of the nation."Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the country will not budge nor will stop," Prasad remarked. he said that it is shameful that the Congress would want to convey this message to the terrorists that the country has stopped functioning completely or there has been a total administrative breakdown in the nation in the wake of such a tragedy. "This is not the message the Centre wants to give to the terrorists," he said.Prasad said that the prime minister conducted a meeting despite from Ramnagar when the tragedy struck and travelled far to get back to Delhi to hold talks in its aftermath. "We all, in BJP, went to pay our last respect to the killed soldiers and other party leaders and members also followed suit," he said.Launching a direct attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Prasad asked if the saffron party created an issue out of the footage showing the Congress chief using his phone during the wreath-laying ceremony of the soldiers at the Palam airport in Delhi. "We request Congress to not spread fear and hatred in the country and not to try demoralising our forces."Prasad further congratulated the armed forces for eliminating the Pulwama attack mastermind and his Pakistani aide within 190 days despite being pelted by stones from some Kashmiri youth. "Those whose security cover has been withdrawn are getting pestered but this is permanent and won't be revoked," Prasad asserted. He also highlighted how due to Indian government's efforts for global isolation of Pakistani and freezing trade ties, there is a complete lockdown of trade surplus at the Attari border. "Their traders are getting troubled ever since India raised the customs duty to 200 percent and this is how it should be. Trade ties can't be normal if there is a propagation of terror from the other side," Prasad said.He also cited the reports of mass army recruitment drive in Kashmir's Baramulla district in which thousands of Kashmiri youth participated. "We want to convey to the Congresss party that country believes in Modiji, his leadership and his ability to secure India," Prasad emphasised.Prasad stated the number of terrorists killed in the Valley over the years to compare the casualties during the UPA and NDA rule. From 2015 to 2018, 728 terrorists were killed in Jammu and Kashmir, whereas only 349 were killed during UPA-II.The Congress had said that Modi did not announce national mourning and arrived an hour late when coffins of jawans arrived at the airport. Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala also questioned as to why BSF’s proposal for air courier was ignored.