New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday accused the BJP of trying to take political advantage of Operation Sindoor with its reported plans to distribute vermilion among women across the country and said that the drive was a “shield” to hide the Modi government’s “political and diplomatic failure”.
Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak referred to reports that have claimed the Modi government is preparing to take the success of Operation Sindoor to every household under which ‘sindoor’ will be given to women as a gift from June 9, when the Modi government completes one year of its third term.
“It is a matter of great shame that the Modi government wants to use the vermilion as a shield to hide its political and diplomatic failure. How low will the Modi government stoop to take credit for the valour and bravery of the armed forces?” she asked at a press conference at the party’s headquarters at 24, Akbar Road here.
The BJP has officially not shared any details of its plans for its anniversary celebrations to mark one year of ‘Modi government 3.0′. There was no immediate comment from the ruling party on the Congress’ claims.
“When Narendra Modi was not satisfied with putting up big posters of Operation Sindoor in every district and every corner of the country with his photo on it and by dressing up in army uniform… Now, the BJP has announced that it will go door-to-door and distribute ‘sindoor’,” Nayak claimed.
If the BJP wants to go door-to-door and distribute vermilion, then it should first answer for whom and for what will this ‘government vermilion’ given by strangers be useful, the Congress spokesperson asked.
“Don’t the self-proclaimed ‘contractors of Hinduism’ know that the sindoor (vermilion) in the parting of a Hindu Sanatani married woman’s hair is applied by her husband or she gets it from her in-laws or from a Shakti Peeth/temple as a blessing for good fortune?” Nayak asked.
“How can the BJP-RSS people distribute vermilion among women when terrorists who ruined the married life of the women (in the Pahalgam terror attack) have not been killed yet?” she asked.
Nayak claimed the box in which the vermilion will be kept will also have Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photo printed on it.
“BJP MLA Ranveer Singh Pathania says, ‘The Air Force is useless because they were sleeping when Pakistan was attacking’. All this is happening, but Narendra Modi is silent. Madhya Pradesh Deputy CM Jagdish Devda has also said that the whole country, the entire army bows at the feet of Narendra Modi,” she claimed.
The Congress spokesperson said when the BJP-RSS come with vermilion, women must ask them — due to whose mistake the demands of so many women in Pahalgam were left unheard and who is responsible for the mistakes and why has he not resigned.
They must ask who is responsible for the losses “we suffered after giving information/warning to Pakistan before the operation and when will his resignation be taken”, she said.
“Why was the vermilion deal done under pressure from Trump and trade?” asked Nayak.
India carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the early hours of May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack the Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian forces launched a fierce counter-attack on several Pakistani military installations.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the military confrontation after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
