Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, May 26: A political storm has erupted after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra made controversial comments about the women widowed in the recent Pahalgam terror attack, drawing sharp criticism from opposition parties and civil society alike.

In an attempt to quell the growing outrage, the BJP has distanced itself from Jangra’s remarks, terming them as his “personal opinion.” The 75-year-old MP, however, defended himself saying his comments were “distorted” to stir controversy, while later adding that he “doesn’t mind apologising” if his words had hurt sentiments.

Union Power Minister and former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was among the senior leaders fielded to control the damage. “His remarks were indeed inappropriate. It was a mistake, and he has expressed regret. The matter should now be considered closed,” Khattar stated, underlining that Jangra’s opinion does not reflect the BJP’s official stance.

Jangra had stoked the controversy during a public address on Saturday, where he reportedly said the women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam attack “lacked the spirit and courage to fight back.” He went a step further, suggesting that had they undergone training under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Agnipath scheme, “the outcome could have been different.”

The insensitive nature of the remarks has sparked widespread condemnation, especially from the Congress. Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a strongly worded post on X, demanded the Prime Minister’s apology and the immediate expulsion of Jangra from the BJP. “PM Modi should apologise for this shameful statement and expel MP Ram Chander Jangra from the party,” Ramesh posted.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also slammed the BJP, stating, “Jangra’s shameful statement once again exposes the petty mentality of the RSS-BJP mindset.”

Party insiders within the BJP admitted that the controversy comes at a time when the country is focusing on global diplomacy in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, making Jangra’s remarks all the more embarrassing for the leadership.

This is not the first instance where MP Jangra has courted controversy. In 2023, he had claimed that “700 girls went missing” during the farmers' protests along Delhi’s borders in 2021 — a statement he later retracted after facing a fierce backlash from protest leaders and political opponents.

With calls for accountability growing louder, all eyes are now on how the BJP will handle internal dissent and public perception in the run-up to crucial political events in the country.