'Doubtful Pahalgam terrorists had time to ask...victims' religion': Congress MLA
What's the story
Maharashtra Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar has created a storm over his comments on the recent Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 on April 22. Speaking to ANI news agency, he questioned the government's version that terrorists were targeting people specifically on the basis of religion. "The government should take responsibility for the Pahalgam terrorist attack. They (the government) are saying that terrorists killed people after asking them (about their religion). Do terrorists have time for all this?" Wadettiwar said.
Questions raised
Wadettiwar challenges narrative of terrorists targeting based on religion
Wadettiwar further questioned the validity of the government's claim, saying, "Some people say that this did not happen." "Terrorists have no caste or religion. Catch those who are responsible and take action. This is the sentiment of the country," ANI quoted the Congress leader as saying. After facing tremendous backlash over the statement, he took to X to clarify that if the terrorists did indeed ask about the victims' religions, it was done to create a divide between two religions.
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Watch his media interaction here
Shocking. Maharashtra Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar defends Pakistani terrorists who killed innocent Hindus in Pahalgam terror attack. Says, terrorists have no time to ask if victims are Hindus before killing. Rubbishes statements of terror victim families who gave NIA testimony. pic.twitter.com/PDa43xbABG
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) April 28, 2025
Reaction
Congress leaders competing to give clean chit to Pakistan: BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had lashed out at Wadettiwar over his statement, alleging that Congress leaders are "competing to give a clean chit to Pakistan." "Congress leaders are competing to give a clean chit to Pakistan one after the other... Now Vijay Wadettiwar says that the government is responsible, Pakistan is not responsible and is there any proof that terrorists killed people based on religion," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla
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His clarification
भारताच्या एकात्मतेवर घाला घालण्याचा कट!!
— Vijay Wadettiwar (@VijayWadettiwar) April 28, 2025
पहलगाम येथील दहशतवादी हल्ल्याचा मुख्य हेतू म्हणजे दोन धर्मांमध्ये तेढ निर्माण करून भारतातील एकात्मता भंग पाडणे आणि देशात अस्थिरता निर्माण करणे हा आहे.
दहशतवादी आणि त्यांच्या पाठराखण करणाऱ्यांवर कठोरात कठोर कारवाई झाली पाहिजे. सरकार जी… pic.twitter.com/zq4J7KTIf3