JP Nadda slams UPA era in Rajya Sabha, says ‘we lived in darkness before 2014’

Senior BJP leader JP Nadda.

Union Minister JP Nadda on Wednesday hit out at the Congress over its past handling of national security during its rule and said that "we lived in darkness before 2014".

During the debate on Operation Sindoor in Rajya Sabha, Nadda cited former ministers who were hesitant to develop border areas or visit Kashmir, and said, “We had lived in darkness in this country.” Nadda added that from 2014 to 2025, terror attacks had ceased across India except in Jammu & Kashmir.

He tore into the Opposition for its "appeasement" of Pakistan, saying that the Congress-led UPA regime during 2004-14 did not take any action against the neighbouring country despite repeated terror attacks.

Speaking in the Upper House during the 'Special Discussion on India's Strong, Successful and Decisive Operation Sindoor in Response to the Terrorist Attack in Pahalgam', Nadda said those questioning the government on its response post Pahalgam must introspect on what they did after terror attacks when they were in government.

Asserting that the government condemns the Pahalgam terror attack "in one voice", Nadda said, "The Home Minister of our sensitive government was in Kashmir at 5 pm on the day of the attack while the Prime Minister cut short his Saudi Arabia visit".

He further said the political leadership is extremely important as it gives directions to the armed forces. Nadda said there is a difference between a responsible, sensitive, proactive government and a government which responds according to the need of the hour, and a lukewarm, non-reactive government.

Detailing the response of the Congress-led UPA government during 2004-14 to terror attacks carried out at the time, Nadda said that "no action was taken" after Delhi, Varanasi, Mumbai bomb blasts where hundreds were killed and injured, which shows the insensitivity of then government.

Trade, tourism and talks with Pakistan continued despite the terrorist attacks, Nadda said, PTI reported.

"You kept appeasing and never pressured Pakistan despite terrorism," he said in an apparent reference to the Congress-led governments at the time.

Moreover, India and Pakistan agreed on Kashmir-specific confidence-building measures, Nadda said, asserting that "they (Pakistan) kept killing us while we served them Biryani".

(With inputs from PTI)