Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP and Left slam Congress in Kerala for playing politics over Pulwama

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Mar 14, 2024, 12:36 PM IST

Congress leader and MP Anto Antony sparked controversy after his remarks regarding the 2019 Pulwama attack. The BJP and Left in Kerala slammed Antony's remark.

Pathanamthitta: Congress leader and sitting MP Anto Antony sparked controversy with his remarks regarding the 2019 Pulwama attack, where 42 soldiers lost their lives on Wednesday (Mar 13). His statements received flak from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

While addressing media persons in Pathanamthitta, Anto Antony said that during the last Lok Sabha election, 42 soldiers sacrificed their lives in Pulwama.
Congress leader and sitting MP Anto Antony continued to court controversy by alleging, "They won the last election by sacrificing the lives of 42 soldiers who were deployed in sub-zero temperatures in an area which had less than 40 per cent oxygen content." He cited the then Kashmir Governor, Satya Pal Malik, who reportedly claimed that the explosion was artificially created, holding the government responsible for the soldiers' deaths.

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"The then governor said that the soldiers were purposefully sent through the road instead of transporting them in a helicopter. The explosion took place when the convoy carrying the soldiers was passing through the road," he added.

The BJP responded strongly to Anto Antony's comments, with state president K Surendran demanding strict action against him. Speaking to reporters in Pathanamthitta, Surendran criticized Anto Antony for allegedly insulting the Indian soldiers who lost their lives in the Pulwama terrorist attack.

Also read: Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Constituency Profile: Chalakudy has seen political fortunes swing time and again

Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha Constituency Left candidate and former finance minister of Kerala Dr. Thomas Isaac said that the Pulwama attack was a terrorist attack by Pakistan. He said that Anto's question about Pakistan's role in the Pulwama attack was beyond the limits.

However, Isaac said that former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satya Pal Malik said that the central government handled the Pulwama incident lightly and the BJP should give a proper answer to the incident.

Isaac pointed out that Congress members did not vote against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Investigation Agency (NIA) bills in Parliament. Thomas Isaac suggested that it would be wiser for Congress to refrain from further commentary on such matters in Pathanamthitta.

Today, Antony Antony responded that he did not say that Pakistan had no role in the attack and asked the journalists what role Pakistan had. Anto Antony defended his remarks by stating that he merely repeated what Satyapal Malik had said. He argued that if anyone should face legal action, it should be Satyapal Malik first. Anto Antony further questioned whether a case would be filed against the widows of the soldiers who had protested on the same issue.

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