BJP slams Prithviraj Chavan over Op Sindoor remarks, urges Congress to act

NEW DELHI, Dec 18: The BJP on Thursday condemned former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for his remarks on Operation Sindoor, calling them “anti-national” and demanding that the Congress issue an apology on his behalf for allegedly insulting the Indian Army.
The party also called for Chavan’s expulsion. On Tuesday, Chavan had stood by his controversial statement claiming that India suffered a “total defeat” in aerial combat against Pakistan on the first day of Operation Sindoor, a military operation targeting terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Despite criticism, Chavan refused to apologize.
Addressing a press conference at BJP headquarters, national spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam slammed Chavan for maligning the Indian armed forces and criticized the Congress for staying silent, alleging it reflects the party’s mindset.
He emphasized that even Pakistan did not make such claims during the operation and found it “surprising” that the Congress had not issued any notice or clarification regarding Chavan’s remarks.
Islam urged Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi to apologize to the nation and expel Chavan, asserting that the demand reflects the sentiment of citizens who respect the armed forces.
Islam also targeted Rahul Gandhi, criticizing his claim that India’s manufacturing sector is declining. He alleged that Gandhi’s foreign statements insult the country, contrasting them with India’s GDP growth of over 7.1 percent and strong industrial performance.
He asserted that the manufacturing sector significantly contributes to India’s GDP and that the global community recognizes India’s rapid economic progress.
Islam argued that Congress’s repeated disparagement of the country harms its image and fuels public rejection.
He claimed that the party’s electoral failures reflect citizens’ preference for national progress and warned that such statements by Congress leaders would continue to alienate voters.
The BJP spokesperson concluded that Chavan’s remarks were objectionable and called for accountability and corrective action by the Congress leadership. (PTI)