Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, May 24: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, accusing him of downplaying a cross-border terror attack by calling it a “tragedy.” The remarks referred to the recent shelling in Jammu & Kashmir’s Poonch district, which left civilians, including children, dead.

Reacting strongly, BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “Rahul Gandhi has referred to the Pakistani army’s terror-driven assault as a tragedy. When Gurudwaras, schools, and children were targeted in Poonch, how can it be seen as anything but a direct act of terror?”

Poonawalla accused the Congress leader of “whitewashing terrorism” and providing “cover fire” for Pakistan’s continued hostilities along the border. He said the BJP sees such statements as part of a “pattern” from the Gandhi family, allegedly aimed at downplaying Pakistan’s aggression.

The BJP maintained that the recent attack in Poonch was not a mere incident but a deliberate targeting of Indian civilians by a nation with a “terrorist mindset.”

The Congress party has not issued an official response to the BJP’s criticism at the time of reporting. The political war of words comes at a sensitive time, as border tensions continue to escalate and national sentiment runs high over cross-border attacks.