New Delhi: The BJP on Friday condemned Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ram Gopal Yadav for his “casteist” comment about Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and asked his party chief Akhilesh Yadav to take action against him.Yadav, SP general secretary and a Rajya Sabha MP, on Thursday kicked off a political row by specifying the caste of Wing Commander Singh at an event in Moradabad while targeting the BJP over Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah’s remarks about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
Referring to Shah’s remarks, Yadav said, “One of their (BJP) ministers abused Colonel Qureshi. The high court has ordered registration of a case against him again. But he did not know who Vyomika Singh was and neither did he know about Air Marshal A K Bharti, otherwise these people would have abused them too.”
“Let me tell you. Vyomika Singh is a Jatav from Haryana and Air Marshal Bharti is a Yadav from Purnia. So all three were from the PDA (picchda, Dalit, alpsankhyak or backwards, Dalits and minorities).”
He said one was abused as she was a Muslim. The other was spared thinking that she was a Rajput and there was no information (to them) about Bharti.
“When it came in the (news) paper, they are forced to think about what to do now,” he added.
Reacting sharply, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia condemned Yadav’s remarks as “irresponsible and worrisome”, and slammed the SP leader for his “bid to create division” in armed forces on the lines of caste.
“It’s unfortunate and condemnable,” Bhatia told PTI.
He said Yadav’s comment on the officer’s caste is a “serious offence” under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“Will Akhilesh Yadav be able to take any action against Ram Gopal Yadav or his love for family will prevail over love for the country?” he asked.
Another BJP spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam also termed the SP leader’s remarks as “condemnable” and said those who talk about caste and religion of the armed forces personnel are “criminals and sinners”. Such people should be “punished”, he told PTI.
The BJP also slammed the Congress over reports about Karnataka Congress MLA Kothur Manjunath allegedly raising questions on Operation Sindoor. He had allegedly said “nothing was done”.
“The Congress’ character has always been anti-India Operation Sindoor was a success. We showed Pakistan its place Ajay Rai (Uttar Pradesh Congress chief) was making fun of Rafale. Now, a Karnataka MLA is asking for proof at the behest of Siddaramaiah (Karnataka CM),” Bhatia said.
“This ‘saboot gang’ (group of people demanding proof) lives in India but sings for Pakistan. There is no place for such a person in India who demands proof (of action) from the Indian Army,” he added.
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