Bengaluru, May 17 (IANS) Coming down heavily on Congress leaders who have demanded evidence of Operation Sindoor’s success, Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, said Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should send his party leaders on a “tour” to Pakistan.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Tiranga yatra organised in the Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency in Bengaluru on Saturday, she said state Congress leaders who doubt the claim of 100 terrorists being killed in Operation Sindoor should go to Pakistan and find out themselves.

“They should be made to stay in Pakistan for at least a year,” she remarked.

“Our soldiers have fought against Pakistan. AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge has said his party would fully support the Centre in carrying out strikes on Pakistan. However, state Congress leaders are making contradictory statements. The Congress high command must clarify its stance,” she urged.

“We don’t know whether these statements from state Congress leaders are being made under directions from the high command,” she added.

“Our armed forces have eliminated terrorists in Pakistan, and the government there has even compensated the families of the slain terrorists. Yet, Congress leaders are insulting our soldiers. They demanded proof of surgical strikes earlier, and now they are asking for evidence of Operation Sindoor. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should restrain his party members from making such statements. Otherwise, let him send them on a tour to Pakistan,” Union Minister Karandlaje said.

Referring to a controversial remark by Karnataka Housing and Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmad Khan, she said, “Khan claimed he would become a suicide bomber. Let him not do that – instead, he should take a trip to Pakistan.”

She also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, stating, “The former Congress chief speaks against the nation. If you want to do politics, do it during elections. But the Congress is indulging in politics even during times of national crisis.”

Union Minister Karandlaje further said that Congress leaders making “irrational statements” about Operation Sindoor would earn “the curse of women.”

“The Congress is playing politics over deaths,” she alleged.

She said the BJP has not organised the Tiranga Yatra, but “People are volunteering to make it a success. The Congress needs to understand this.”

The Tiranga Yatra was carried out from Thanisandra to Hunasemaranahalli in the Byatarayanapura locality of Bengaluru.

She was responding to the statement of Congress MLA Kothanur Manjunath, raising doubts over military action and saying it did not serve any purpose and failed to deliver justice to the Pahalgam victims.

“Nothing was done. It was just a show off, they sent three to four flights overhead and returned. Will that compensate for the 26 people killed in Pahalgam? Is this how we compensate those women? Is this how we console them and show respect?” Manjunath said.

However, after facing backlash, Manjunath retracted the statement.

–IANS

mka/svn