Congress trying to divide nation: BJP

The BJP Thursday accused the Congress of trying to divide the country on communal lines as it sought to drag Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the row over Shakeel Ahmad’s controversial statement, saying a senior leader like him would have spoken only after getting their approval.

Condemning Mr Ahmad for his tweet that had Chhota Rajan and Anup Chetia been Muslims, the Modi government would have a different narrative, the BJP said the Congress is viewing even terrorists through a communal angle and those “who love the country are losing their trust in it”.

“The Congress started an unfounded debate over tolerance and intolerance before the Bihar election. Now it is trying to divide the country on communal lines. The Congress should stop communal politics. It should stop its attempt to put communal colour to every issue for polarisation...

“He is a senior party leader and spokesperson and would not have made these comments without the approval of his party president and vice-president. He has made a statement to divide the country on communal lines,” BJP Spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain told a press conference. He highlighted the comments made by Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Mani Shankar Aiyar in Pakistan.