Shah takes on Cong over ‘shastra pooja’

KAITHAL: Union home minister Amit Shah Wednesday attacked the Congress for its stand on Article 370 and also took on the party over criticism of the “shastra pooja” performed on the first Rafale aircraft acquired by the country.

“Congress leader Rahul Gandhi opposed scrapping of Article 370. I want to ask Rahul to make it clear whether he is in favour or against the scrapping of Article 370,” the BJP president said at a poll rally here, referring to the abrogation of the special status for Jammu and Kashmir.

He said nullifying Article 370 had nothing to do with politics. “It was about country’s security, but Congress voted against it.”

In an apparent reference to comments by some Congress leaders on the “shastra pooja” performed by defence minister Rajnath Singh, he said “Congress people felt bad about this too.”

“Yesterday was Vijayadashami, marking the victory of good over evil... I want to congratulate the prime minister and the defence minister on Rafale,” Shah said.

Cal l i ng i t a “t a masha” (drama), senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that his party did not show off when they bought weapons like the Bofors gun.

“There is no need to do such ‘tamasha’ (drama). When we bought weapons like the Bofors gun previously purchased, no one went and brought them while showing off,” he said.

Talking about the capability of the fighter jets, Kharge said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) officers will judge whether they are good or not. “These people go, show off, sit inside (the aircraft),’ he said, referring to the sortie Rajnath took in the aircraft after performing the rituals.

Rajnath Singh took delivery of the multi-role combat aircraft in France on Tuesday after performing a traditional Dussehra worship of arms.

The first of the 36 French-built Rafale fighter jet bearing the tail number RB-001 was formally handed over to India on Tuesday.