New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) The series of controversial statements by Congress leaders, in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, is neither a coincidence nor a slip of tongue but rather it is part of a planned and well-coordinated strategy for fanning anti-India sentiments, said BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday.

The BJP national spokesperson, speaking to the media, scoffed at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge over his depiction of Operation Sindoor as ‘chutput’ (small) war and said that this shows the depraved mentality of the INDIA bloc.

He further said that such statements by Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and other members of the INDIA bloc are giving oxygen to Pakistan and also leveraging it to build on its anti-India rhetoric.

“By merely keeping the alliance name as the INDIA bloc, one doesn’t become Indian at heart. Their statements are being lapped up by Pakistani media as well as its ruling dispensation and are being used to push anti-India narrative globally,” he remarked.

The BJP leader, pointing to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s on-record acceptance of Indian missiles hitting their Nur Khan airbase and stated, “INDIA bloc leaders continue to live in denial and are only focused on questioning our own forces”.

He alleged that Congress leaders hold scant respect for the forces, and their recent conduct and instances show how they have been pandering to anti-India forces.

He said that leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Rahul Gandhi, have become popular on Pakistani channels.

“INDIA bloc is nothing more than a facade. The way its leaders are getting space on Pakistani channels, it is increasingly turning into Popular Front of Pakistan,” claimed Sudhanshu Trivedi.

“There is a cut-throat competition in the Congress party to get popular on Pakistani channels. Its leaders are in a race to see who can fetch more TRP on Pak channels,” he added.

–IANS

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