(Image source from: mid-day.com)

The Congress Party on Thursday in a Press Conference hits out at government and targeted the Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Pulwama terror attack saying that PM Modi did not mention the word Pakistan in his joint statement with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

In a Press Conference Congress Party National Spokesman Randeep Surjewala said “The Prime Minister appears to have forgotten to mention Pakistan in the statement.”

The joint statement of both leaders condemned the Pulwama terror attack but did not mention Pakistan or Jaish-e-Mohammed, the terror outfit which claimed the responsibility of terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

The statement between PM Modi and Saudi Crown Prince said condemns the Pulwama terror attack in the strongest terms and added that “all countries must renounce the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy.”

Surjewala said PM Modi at one time says time for talks with Pakistan is over and now in this joint statement he says “need for creation of conditions necessary for resumption of comprehensive dialogue between India and Pakistan.”  

“At 3.10 pm when the Pulwama attack took place and was all over the news, PM Modi was shooting for a film till 6.45 pm in Corbett national park. For 4 hours after the terror attack, PM Modi indulged himself in a film shoot, went on boat rides and had his tea and samosas,” Surjewala said.

Congress spokesman said Modi should have chaired the cabinet meeting on security.

“Instead of being busy with a film shoot in Corbett national park, he should have been holding a cabinet meeting on security,” Surjewala said

“From February 14, we mourned for our slain soldiers and stayed silent in honour of their sacrifice. Unfortunately, PM Modi’s thirst for power has today made him forget his humanity and play politics on our soldiers’ martyrdom,” Surjewala said.

“On February 16, 2019, when the soldiers’ bodies were lying at the airport, the PM reached an hour late to pay his homage. Upon his return from Jhansi, where he had gone for political campaigns, the PM first went to his home and then came to the airport to pay his respects. He made the soldiers wait,” Surjewala said.

He also criticised timing of PM Modi visiting South Korea.

“At such a sensitive time, if the PM is travelling abroad, it shows how wrong the priorities of the Modi government are,” he said.

Surjewala questioned the government on security lapse, intelligence report that could prevent the Pulwama terror attack.

-Sai Kumar