Congress MP Anto Antony rakes up Pulwama terror attack to target BJP

BJP Kerala president K. Surendran says he should be charged with sedition and arrested for insulting the country by denying Pakistan’s role in the Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel on February 14, 2019

Acontroversy erupted in Kerala on Wednesday after Congress MP Anto Antony levelled serious allegations against the BJP, claiming that the saffron party secured victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by “exploiting the sacrifices of jawans” killed in the Pulwama attacks.

Addressing a press conference here, he also seemed to suggest that Pakistan had no involvement in the Pulwama attack, sparking strong reactions from the BJP, which demanded that a case be filed

Anto Antony

against Mr. Antony for leged sedition.

“Did they not win the last elections by leveraging the sacrifice of the 42 (sic) jawans who were stationed in an area where there is 40% oxygen deficiency, enduring extreme climatic conditions while guarding althe nation,” Mr. Antony asked, while attacking the Union government saying this time their election trump card is the notification of the rules of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

“This time, it’s about the CAA. What about last time? It was Pulwama. And what was Pulwama? Wasn’t it the sacrifice of our 42 (sic) jawans,” he asked.

Pulwama attack

The Pulwama attack took place on February 14, 2019 when a convoy of vehicles transporting Central Reserve Police Force personnel on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway was targeted by a suicide bomber in a vehicle at Lethapora in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The attack resulted in the deaths of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel — not 42 personnel as the Pathanamthitta MP mistakenly mentioned.

Mr. Antony is the Congress candidate for the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha seat, which he has represented since 2014.

His comment comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Pathanamthitta on March 17 to canvass votes for Anil K Antony, the BJP candidate and son of Congress stalwart A.K. Antony, in the Lok Sabha elections.

BJP State president K. Surendran condemned the Congress MP’s remarks, stating that he had insulted the country by denying Pakistan’s role in the Pulwama terror attack. Mr. Surendran said Mr. Antony should be charged with sedition and arrested.

“This remark disrespected the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation, K. Surendran said, adding that it would bring down the morale of the army. He said he believed that the voters of Pathanamthitta who are patriots would express their dissent against Mr. Antony’s stance.