Shashi Tharoor condoles Musharraf's demise, calls him 'foe-turned-real force for peace'; BJP slams Congress

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday condoled the demise of Pakistan's former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, saying that "once an implacable foe of India, he became a real force for peace" between 2002 and 2007.

Tharoor's social media post condoling Musharraf's demise evoked a sharp response from the BJP, which accused the Congress of "Pakistan parasti (worshipping)".

According to media reports, Musharraf passed away on Sunday in a Dubai hospital.

Also read: Musharraf passes away: Timeline of Kargil War architect's engagements with India during his reign in Pak

"'Pervez Musharraf, Former Pakistani President, Dies of Rare Disease': once an implacable foe of India, he became a real force for peace 2002-2007," Tharoor said in a tweet.

"I met him annually in those days at the @un &found him smart, engaging & clear in his strategic thinking. RIP," the former minister of state for external affairs said.

Lashing out at the Congress leader, BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar stated, "Nothing like a proper military thrashing for Fatcat Pak Dictator Generals to become a "force for peace" and develop "clear strategic thinking"."

He added, "Not withstanding many lives lost and international laws violated n harm caused all around, these Generals will have their admiring fans in India."

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, "Pervez Musharraf  architect of Kargil, dictator, accused of heinous crimes  who considered Taliban & Osama as 'brothers' & 'heroes'  who refused to even take back bodies of his own dead soldiers is being hailed by Congress! Are you surprised? Again, Congress ki pak parasti!"

"Once upon a time Musharraf had hailed Rahul Gandhi as a gentleman perhaps that endears Congress to Musharraf?? From 370 to Surgical Strike to doubting Balakote Congress echoed Pak line & hails Musharraf but called our own chief 'Sadak Ka Gunda'..This is Congress!!" Poonawalla said.

Also read: Pervez Musharraf passes away: When former Pak president asked Dhoni not to get a haircut - WATCH

In another tweet, the BJP leader shared an old video of Musharraf talking about his son being invited by Rahul Gandhi and Musharraf's wife, brother and son being invited for lunch by former prime minister Manmohan Singh when they were on a Delhi visit, during his tenure as the Pakistan president.

"Parvez Musharraf who had hailed Osama Bin Laden & Taliban had sung praises of Rahul Gandhi too - called him a gentleman and pledged his support to him!! Perhaps this is the reason why Shashi Tharoor is eulogising the architect of Kargil & a backer of terrorism!! Sigh," Poonawalla said in his tweet, tagging the video.

Considered the architect of the Kargil War of 1999, Musharraf, 79, was suffering from amyloidosis, a rare disease caused by a build-up of an abnormal protein called amyloid in organs and tissues throughout the body. 

Musharraf was born on August 11, 1943, in Delhi. He assumed the post of Chief Executive after imposing martial law in the country in 1999 and served as the president of Pakistan from 2001 to 2008.

Also read: Pervez Musharraf passes away: Former Pak President was suffering from amyloidosis; Know all about it

(With inputs from PTI)