Manas Dasgupta
NEW DEHI, Apr 29: Both the main rivals seem to be back to their usual business, shooting at each other with the façade of a United India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack apparently forgotten.
The BJP and the Congress were at each other’s throat n Tuesday giving no sign of the “truce.” The Congress was first to attack the BJP publishing a poster with “missing Modi,” with the BJP hitting back saying that the Congress was “taking orders from Pakistan.” The BJP claimed that Mr Modi was not “missing” but was “busy preparing and strategising for a strong response to terrorism and Pakistan, and to get justice for the victims of the Pahalgam tragedy.”
The BJP’s attack followed a post on X late on Monday – a photo of a yellow kurta, white pyjama, and black shoes with the posture of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi but with the head missing with a message, “In times of need, missing.”
The Congress’ post was in reference to its allegations the Prime Minister has been ‘missing in action’ as the Pahalgam crisis erupted and unfolded. The Congress has been particularly critical of the PM not attending the all-party meet government called last week to discuss the attack.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said he raised the question of the absent PM and said it was not right that the prime mister skipped the all-party meet when he was visiting poll-bound Bihar and attending a government event where he thundered in English for the benefit of the global community that India would look for the Pahalgam terrorist and their backers “till the ends of the earth” and serve them with “exemplary punishment.”
The BJP fired a multi-barrel response to the Congress’ photo, accusing the party of colluding with Pakistan and of underhanded tactics ordered by senior leader Rahul Gandhi. Former Union Minister Anurag Thakur recalled Mr Modi’s strong message – ‘if you (Pak) spill one drop of our blood, we won’t let a single drop of water (from the Indus River) flow’ – and pointed to strict measures by the Indian government, such as suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
“But I don’t understand this compulsion of the Congress and other opposition parties of speaking Pakistan’s language and supporting Pakistan. Does their blood not boil when Indians are killed… do they not feel like taking revenge?”
BJP leader Amit Malviya accused the Congress of political skulduggery, calling the X post “a dog whistle aimed at its Muslim vote bank and a veiled incitement against the Prime Minister.” “It is not the first time the Congress has resorted to such tactics,” Mr Malviya raged, also accusing Rahul Gandhi of having “instigated and justified violence” towards the PM.
Not to be outdone, national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari accused the Congress of “taking orders from Pakistan”, claiming a Pakistani politician had quoted the opposition party’s post. “It shows Pakistan is doing batting for Congress… Congress is doing bowling for Pakistan.”
The Congress’ ‘gayab‘ attack seems to signal the end of any “truce” in view of the high-stake Assembly elections – Bihar this year and Bengal and Tamil Nadu in 2026. It certainly contradicted the party’s call for unity from last week; Mr Kharge had then said, “This is not the time for partisan politics. It is a moment for collective resolve to ensure justice…” The Congress post drew sharp reaction with one BJP leader even nicknaming the Congress “Lashkar-e-Pakistan Congress,”
Stating that the “missing poster” resembled the Pakistani gesture of “sar tan se juda” to attack India, the BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia said “There is a national political party that stays among us, but if we call them Lashkar-e-Pakistan Congress, it won’t be wrong. This image of PM Narendra Modi has been tweeted by the social media handle of Congress. A strong message has been given to Pakistan that in India, the supporters of Mir Jafar are present here…’Sar tan se juda’ has become the ideology of Lashkar-e-Pakistan Congress today…Such posts are done on the instructions of Rahul Gandhi, which makes the country ashamed. It is an attempt of Lashkar-e-Pakistan Congress to weaken India at such a sensitive time,” he said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s official X handle also recalled the ‘san tan se juda’ imagery, and dubbed Congress ‘Muslim League 2.0’. “Terror will be met with bullets, not biryani. This is the era of decisive leadership,” the BJP said.
The BJP leader Nishikant Dubey went all out against the Congress party and posted an image of the party symbol (the hand) with Pakistan flag on it. In his post, Dubey said: “Congress’s hand is with Pakistan’s terrorists and their protectors, the killers of Hindus.”
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, delivering his first speech in the House since the attack, said, “For the first time in many years, I witnessed protests that were truly unified. No political party or leader orchestrated them, and no organised banners or candlelight marches were planned. The outrage and grief were spontaneous, coming straight from the hearts of the people. Every mosque observed silence.”
Abdullah admitted he failed in his duty to ensure the safe return of tourists and acknowledged feeling helpless. The Assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning the incident and pledging to thwart the designs of terrorists.
Amid the outrage, Congress leader and Karnataka minister Dinesh Gundu Rao clarified that the intention of the poster was to ask the whereabouts of the PM since he has not addressed the media or clarified on the Pahalgam attack.
Rao, however, ended up making another controversial comment by claiming the Pulwama attack “helped Narendra Modi win Lok Sabha elections,” while “Godhra riots helped him win Gujarat poll.” “He is now using it (Pahalgam attack) to win Bihar elections. You should think of the country first. This is why the poster was put out. We want him to come and talk to the people,” the Congress leader added.
The Congress now seems to be following its plan of 2016 and 2019. In the wake of 2016’s Pathankot and Uri attacks, and the Pulwama attack in 2019, the Congress had aggressively targeted the government, talking about failures, and argued that ministers concerned could not shrug off responsibility and accountability, but the party may have shot itself in the foot by questioning the commitment of PM Modi towards the nation at such a time.
The BJP has castigated the Congress for putting out the image in bad taste particularly with some Pakistani social media accounts were now using that image to take potshots at India. This was the last thing that was required at this moment when national security, and unity, must be paramount.
Ironically the attack and counter attack came just a couple of hours after Congress media head Jairam Ramesh had reined in Congress leaders not to speak out of line on the Pahalgam tragedy. The Congress had struck a conciliatory note at the all-party meeting as well, as Rahul Gandhi said his party would back any step that the Prime Minister takes.
The Congress is now demanding a Special Session of Parliament on the Pahalgam attack, but by firing the salvo of the headless image of the PM, the opposition party seems to have committed the same mistake as it did by questioning the efficacy of the Balakot strike in 2019.
