Do terrorists have time to ask about religion?" Waddetiwar sparks debate on Pahalgam terror attack

Vijay Wadettiwar. File Pic

After Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's recent comments expressing opposition to a war with Pakistan, another senior Congress leader has sparked controversy with remarks concerning the Pahalgam terror attack. Senior Maharashtra Congress MLA Vijay Waddetiwar on Monday questioned the accounts provided by survivors, who had stated that terrorists had asked about their religion before opening fire.

According to ANI, Waddetiwar challenged the plausibility of the victims' testimonies, suggesting that terrorists would not engage in such questioning during an attack.
"The government should take responsibility for the Pahalgam terrorist attack. They are claiming that the terrorists killed people after asking them their religion. Do terrorists have time for all this?" he asked. "Some people believe that this did not happen. Terrorists have no caste or religion. Those responsible should be identified and appropriate action must be taken. This is the sentiment of the country," Waddetiwar said, as per ANI.

Reacting to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's statement that he was "not in favour of war" with Pakistan, Waddetiwar remarked that if the government was indeed ready for conflict, it should proceed accordingly. Speaking to the media, Waddetiwar stated, "All of this is merely an attempt to divert public attention. The Chief Minister has said there should be no war with Pakistan, but if the government is prepared for war, then go ahead and do it."

He further criticised the government's claims regarding cutting off Pakistan's water supply. "You talk about stopping Pakistan's water. It will take 20 years to achieve that," he said, ANI reports.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, addressing the media, emphasised that rather than promoting conflict, the focus should be on strengthening security measures in the Kashmir Valley. "There has been a security lapse in this incident. We are not in favour of war. Steps must be taken to tighten security in the Kashmir region. The central government should increase security to ensure peace in Kashmir," Siddaramaiah said, according to ANI.

Siddaramaiah's comments drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with party MP Sambit Patra accusing Congress of echoing sentiments favourable to Pakistan. "Congress should expel Siddaramaiah and Timmapur... But they will not, because this reflects the true face of Congress," he alleged. Patra further claimed that Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Siddaramaiah, and Timmapur, were being celebrated by Pakistani media outlets for their statements.

(With inputs from ANI)