Pakistan Uses Rahul Gandhi Close Aide Ajay Rai’s Rafale Jibe to Mock Indian Forces, BJP Lashes Out At 'Pak Cheerleader Lobby'

Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai's controversial remarks and mockery of the Indian Air Force's Rafale jets days after the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam has triggered massive political fury. Moreover, the Congress leader’s stunt mocking Indian Armed forces found its audience in nowhere other than Pakistan.

Ajay Rai on Sunday staged a bizarre stunt holding a toy Rafale jet with lemon and chillies with an intention to mock India’s counter-terror response after the bloodbath as Baisaran valley in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam where 26 Hindu tourists were killed by Pakistani terrorists

Hours after that, Pakistan’s ARY News aired his statement to mock Indian armed forces. As our armed forces prepare to avenge the killing of innocent lives in Pahalgam, Congress leader Ajay Rai’s jibe at the BJP -led central government have been seized upon by Pakistani media as a tool to undermine India's defence prowess.

Holding the toy jet before cameras, Rai sarcastically said, “Terrorist activities have increased in the country, and people are suffering from it. Our youth lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack... But, this government, which talks a lot, says that they will crush terrorists - They brought Rafale, but they are in their hangars having chilly and lemon hanging in them." 

"When will they take action against terrorists, those who support them, and their backers?” he asked.

BJP Tears Into Congress 

The BJP quickly reacted, accusing the Congress party of giving ‘ammunition’ to India’s enemies. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla posted a fiery tweet, saying: “ Rahul Gandhi ’s close aide Ajay Rai has now managed to make it to the headlines of Pakistan thanks to his utterances and antics on Rafale.”

“Channi, Priyank Kharge, RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, Ajay Rai - the attack on manobal of our Forces is NOT A SANYOG BUT SAH-YOG to Pakistan,” he added.

Another BJP worker slammed both Ajay Rai’s actions and his party Congress for out-doing each other in bringing shame to the nation. “How much lower will they stoop to remain relevant?” she asked.

BJP leader and Andhra Pradesh Minister Satya Kumar Yadav also posted: “Shameful to see Congress's senior leader Ajay Rai mocks India's Rafale. He is not mocking the Rafale, but our Armed Forces and is helping Pakistani propaganda.”

No Apology, Rahul Gandhi's Close Aide Defends Gandhi Family Instead

Ajay Rai paid no heed to the widespread furore over his stunt mocking Rafale jets. Defending his previous comments, the Congress leader said that the Congress party stands ‘firmly with the nation’ and has resolved to support the government during crises, but also urged the Centre to ‘not fool the public with big words alone'.

“It is the time to give a reply to the ones who killed our people in Pahalgam...When the Defence Minister went to take delivery of Rafale, he hung lemon-chillies on Rafale. I just wanted to open his eyes and show him that the people of the country want action against terrorism. Strictest action should be taken against the terrorists, and the people giving them support should be finished," Rai said on Monday.

Raising questions over the surgical strike launched after the Pulwama terror attack, he asked, “Where is accountability? Where did the RDX come from? Who let this happen?” 

He also launched a political attack, saying, “BJP talks of nationalism, but always supported the British. Rahul Gandhi's family is nationalist, they have sacrificed everything for the nation.”

Pattern of Doubts on Indian Armed Forces: Channi Questioned Surgical Strike Days Back

This is not the first time Congress leaders have drawn criticism for statements seen as undermining the armed forces and mocking the nation on global platforms. Former Punjab Chief Minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi on Friday had questioned the authenticity of the 2019 surgical strikes, demanding ‘proof’ that the operation even occurred.

Channi had said, “I could not find where the surgical strike took place, where men were killed at that time and where this happened in Pakistan. Will we not find out if a bomb is dropped in our country? They say that they did a surgical strike in Pakistan. Nothing had happened. Nowhere was a surgical strike seen.” 

After facing massive backlash, he issued a partial U-turn from his previous statement, saying that he is not asking for proof of surgical strike but urging to not divert attention from the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. 

“This is a very sensitive issue. Tu idhar udhar ki baat matt kar, bata ki kaafila luta kyun...The innocent tourists who were killed after being asked about their religion - country and those families want justice today. Government should provide them justice. We are with the Government in every way,” Channi said.