Congress MLA draws India parallel to Trump shooting, sparks controversy
What's the story
Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar has sparked a political controversy with his comments on the recent shooting incident at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused him of justifying the attack on United States President Donald Trump. Speaking about the incident, Wadettiwar said such reactions were "bound to happen" when leaders acted against public interest.
Controversial statement
Wadettiwar claims similar mood exists in India
Wadettiwar also claimed that a similar mood existed in India, despite no visible protests. He said, "While he (Trump) was in power, he tried to disrupt every country in order to control the world... Just like it is happening in India." He added, "People of America were angry at Trump, so he was fired upon. There are no protests here, so the Indian government thinks everything is alright, but the mood here is similar."
Political backlash
BJP accuses Congress of endorsing political violence
The BJP strongly opposed Wadettiwar's remarks, with party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accusing the Congress of endorsing and justifying political violence. Poonawalla said such statements have been made over 150 times and asked why they shouldn't be considered Rahul Gandhi's sentiments until he condemns them, ANI reported. The shooting incident at the gala dinner involved suspect Cole Tomas Allen, who was arrested after trying to reach the ballroom where Trump was present.
Incident report
Shooting suspect arrested near White House dinner
The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was stopped at a security checkpoint before he could reach the ballroom with around 2,500 guests. He had three weapons on him, two handguns and a shotgun, and had reportedly written down a plan for the attack. Allen was arrested after the shooting near the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner attended by President Trump and the first lady.