Senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad
Senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad on Thursday alleged "match-fixing" between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan over the Pulwama terror attack, prompting the BJP to accuse the opposition party of "stooping to a new low" and claiming that he spoke at the instance of Rahul Gandhi.
"If you look at the chain of events that have taken place after Pulwama, it looks like Narendra Modi had a match-fixing with the Pakistani people," he said.
His remarks drew condemnation from the BJP, which said the Congress leader has crossed all limits of decency by insulting the armed forces with such "obnoxious" remarks and that the party has no future under its chief Rahul Gandhi.
Hariprasad's remarks came after Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that Gandhi neither believes the Indian Air Force nor the Supreme Court verdict and asked if he needed a certificate from Pakistan about the Rafale fighter aircraft.
The Congress president believes Pakistan more than Indian forces and its leaders, Prasad said.
Hariprasad hit back saying, "Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad should clarify whether there is any match-fixing between Pakistan and Mr Narendra Modi. Otherwise, without their knowledge this Pulwama incident would not have taken place."
Prasad hit back at the Congress leader, saying it is a day of "great pain" for the country that the Congress "could stoop so low for political gains".
"Congress leader B K Hariprasad says there is collusion between Modi and Imran Khan behind air strikes. He crossed all limits of decency and propriety...He has dishonoured the country and its army. They have insulted forces and martyrdom of 40 CRPF personnel. The entire world condemns obnoxious statement and the Congress has no future under Rahul's leadership," Prasad said.
"I do not seek any apology from Congress because people of India will respond to these insulting statements. These comments are not accidental but designed and directed on instance of Gandhi," the union minister and BJP leader also said.
The statement came on a day when Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked the prime minister over the Rafale deal alleging that he delayed the aircraft purchase and there should be a probe against him.
The BJP and the Congress have been engaged in a slinging match over the events in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, including the air strike carried out by the IAF on a terrorist camp in Pakistan.
