The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday hit out at Congress leadership over their failure to congratulate Team India after its Asia Cup win. Pradeep Bhandari, party’s spokesperson, said Congress is against “India’s national interest”, calling Rahul Gandhi the “best friend” of Pakistani army chief Asim Munir.
Taking to X, Bhandari wrote, “On one hand: Rahul Gandhi has not yet congratulated the Indian cricket team on thrashing Pakistan on sports battlefield! On the other hand: When Pakistan is completely cornered, you have Congress leaders asking for sportsman spirit against Pakistan! Why does Congress always support Pakistan over India!”
Bhandari also called Congress the “B-team of Pakistan”.
"In Operation Sindoor, Congress stood with Pakistan. In Operation Tilak, Congress stands with Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi is the best friend of Asim Munir!" he said.
BJP leader Amit Malviya also took a dig at the grand-old-party, saying that India’s stunning win against Pakistan seems to have left entire Congress in a “comatose state”.
“Just like after #OperationSindoor, when they couldn’t bring themselves to congratulate the Indian Army for its stupendous strikes, they now appear to be waiting for permission from Mohsin Naqvi and their other handlers in Pakistan before joining the nation in celebrating the Indian cricket team’s success,” he wrote.
“Put that aside -- not even a single social media post from Congress congratulating our national team for thrashing Pakistan thrice in the tournament and bringing the Asia Cup home,” the BJP leader stated, adding that “once again, Pakistan, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress find themselves on the same side of the divide.”
Earlier, Maharashtra Congress leader Atul Londhe reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory message for Team India, which linked the team’s win to “Operation Sindoor”.
“Sometimes I doubt if PM Modi has any knowledge of foreign policy and diplomacy. If we played, we should have played with sportsman spirit. If Operation Sindoor is ongoing, then we shouldn't have played. And if discussions are ongoing to normalise the situation, then sports can be a medium to improve it, but linking everything with Operation Sindoor is not right,” he said.
India won the Asia Cup for the ninth time on Sunday, defeating Pakistan by five wickets in a high-intensity final match played in Dubai.
Following India's victory, PM Modi, in a post on X, said, "Operation Sindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same - India wins! Congrats to our cricketers."
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