‘Did You Become BJP’s Lawyer?’: Udit Raj Slams Shashi Tharoor Over Pahalgam Attack Remarks, MP Hits Back

Congress leader Udit Raj criticised Shashi Tharoor for his remarks, questioning his role as a Congressman. Tharoor hit back at him, reminding him of his prior association with the BJP.

File Photo of Congress leaders Udit Raj and Shashi Tharoor

Source : PTI

New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) Congress leader Udit Raj hit out at party colleague Shashi Tharoor on Monday for his reported "no country has 100-per cent foolproof intelligence" remarks, wondering that being a Congressman, how did he become the BJP's lawyer and was giving the ruling party a "clean chit" on the Pahalgam terror attack.

Tharoor hit back at Raj, saying the latter is a former Bharatiya Janata Party MP and "is better qualified to understand who speaks for the BJP".

In a post on X, Raj said, "According to you Congress should guarantee foolproof intelligence to BJP and nothing should be asked of the BJP." "Shashi Tharoor said no country has 100 per cent foolproof intelligence? At the time of 26/11 Mumbai attack, Modi ji had said after reaching Mumbai from Gujarat that it is the failure of the central government. He also said that the problem is the Centre and not the border. How did the terrorists come when the intelligence, BSF, CRPF are with the Centre. Tharoor ji, ask from Modi ji," said Raj, who is the chairman of the "Unorganised Workers and Employees Congress Other Than Professionals".

The former MP's remarks came a day after Tharoor's comments on the Pahalgam attack, in which he reportedly said there was some failure but no country can ever have a foolproof, 100-per cent intelligence.

The terror attack at a prime tourist location in south Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 left at least 26 people dead and several injured.

Asked about Raj's remarks, Tharoor said everyone knows that he is not a BJP spokesperson and is, in fact, no one's spokesperson. "I speak for myself," he said.

"I believe the person who said this is a former BJP MP, so you can ask him, he is better qualified to understand who speaks for the BJP," the former Union minister said, hitting back at Raj, who was an MP of the saffron party before switching over to the Congress.

In his remarks on X, Raj said the Congress is not in power, yet the ruling BJP keeps criticising it from time to time.

"It is said that during the time of the Congress, terrorists used to kill and go away, so shouldn't you ask how did they kill and go away in Uri, Pathankot, Pulwama and Pahalgam?" he said, addressing Tharoor.

"When the BJP government itself admitted security lapse, then brother Tharoor ji how did you become their lawyer and (are) giving (them a) clean chit?" he asked.

"At the time of 2014 Lok Sabha elections, there was a discussion in every house that once Modi ji becomes PM, he will enter Lahore and kill and take over PoK. You should ask BJP, did this happen?" he said.

Raj claimed that Tharoor praised Modi's recent United States visit, despite the outcome of the trip being an "insult" for the country.

"You are a Congressman and you should ask when will Modi ji teach Pakistan a lesson like the Congress government did in 1965 and 1971. BJP kept demanding foolproof intelligence from Congress so with whom are you standing," Raj said, hitting out at the MP from Thiruvananthapuram.

"After 9/11, did any big terrorist attack take place in America and in this way you should give such examples. Modi ji came from abroad and held a meeting at the airport itself. You did not ask about this drama. It would not have taken even 10 minutes to reach the office and he would have held a meeting there," he said.

Raj said Tharoor should also ask the prime minister why did he attend an election rally in Bihar, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cut short his foreign trip, went to Pahalgam and shared people's grief and pain. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)