Rahul Gandhi attacks PM Modi, Doval over Kandahar hijack; BJP picks 'Masood Azhar ji'

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Monday launched an all-out attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party by raking up the 1999 Kandahar hijack when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had let JeM terrorist Masood Azhar walk free in exchange for the safety of the 173 passengers of the Indian Airlines flight IC-814.

Gandhi claimed that the man who was responsible for the deal was current NSA Ajit Doval.

Addressing his party workers in New Delhi today, Gandhi said, "40-45 hamare CRPF ke log shaheed huye. Bus mein kisne bomb phoda, Jaish-e-Mohd - Masood Azhar. Ab yeh 56inch chhati wale, aapko yaad hoga, jab inki pichhli sarakar thi toh aircraft mein Masood Azhar ji ke sath baith kar, jo aaj National Security Adviser hain Ajit Doval, Masood Azahr ko jaker Kandahar mein hawale kerke aa gaye the ( 40-45 CRPF jawans were slained in Pulwama blast. Who was behind it? Jaish-e-Mohd, Masood Azhar. The government today boast of 56inch chest. It was their [BJP] government, and it was NSA Ajit Doval who escorted Masood Azhar to Kandahar.)

In its strike back on Rahul Gandhi's attack, the BJP alleged that the Congress chief had respect for JeM chief in his heart for he addressed Masood Azhar with suffix 'ji' in his speech.

Desh ke 44 veer jawano ki shahadat ke liye jimmedar aatanki sangathan Jaish-e-Mohammed ke sargana ke liye Rahul Gandi ke mann mein itna samman, the BJP's official handle said, while tweeting a six-second clip of Gandhi saying Masood Azhar ji.