Indore, May 20 (IANS) The BJP on Tuesday criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for referring to Operation Sindoor as a ‘small war’, accusing him of politicising a matter of national concern.

Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya led the attack, asserting that national security should not be used as a political tool.

Vijayvargiya said, “Kharge is a senior leader, and I don’t want to criticise him personally. But one must remember—when it comes to the nation, politics should take a back seat. Unfortunately, some are politicising issues where unity should prevail.”

He cited an example to support his stance, recalling how former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had supported India’s position at the United Nations during a crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, despite being in the Opposition.

“I remember Sharad Pawar saying on Monday that when PV Narasimha Rao was PM and India faced international pressure over human rights in Kashmir, he sought Vajpayee’s support. Vajpayee rose above politics and represented the country with dignity at the UN. Pawar himself was part of that cabinet and acknowledged it. That’s the kind of approach we need—nation first, not party first,” he added.

Vijayvargiya urged political leaders to act responsibly in matters concerning national security.

“The statements by Kharge or Rahul Gandhi are being closely watched by the people of India. They understand who stands for the country and who seeks to divide for votes. Making such comments on a sensitive issue is not appropriate,” he concluded.

Kharge, while addressing the Samarpane Sankalpa rally in Karnataka earlier in the day, slammed the Centre over the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 26 Indian tourists lost their lives.

Kharge alleged a failure in providing adequate security and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had cancelled a visit to Kashmir after receiving an intelligence alert days before the incident.

“I have information that three days before the attack, an intelligence report was sent to PM Modi, and that is why he cancelled his Kashmir visit. If the threat was serious enough to cancel your own trip, why didn’t you alert local police, intelligence, and security forces to protect civilians?” said Kharge.

–IANS

jk/dan