NEW DELHI: The BJP launched a strong criticism of Congress after Pakistani media highlighted UP Congress chief Ajay Rai’s “toy Rafale jet” comments mocking the Centre.
Also Read | ‘Big talk, no action’: Cong’s neta stirs row with toy Rafale
“Look at Ajay Rai, UP president of the pro-Pakistan Congress party, who is making headlines in Pakistani newspapers and channels. This is a conspiracy by the anti-Modi Congress party to break the morale of the army,” BJP MP Nishikant Dubey posted on X.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla emphasized that Congress’s repeated criticism of the armed forces wasn’t coincidental. He suggested these actions showed cooperation with Pakistan, citing similar incidents involving Congress leaders Channi, Priyank Kharge, and RJD MP Sudhakar Singh.
“Rahul Gandhi’s close aide Ajay Rai has now managed to make it to the headlines of Pakistan thanks to his utterances and antics on Rafale. Channi, Priyank Kharge, RJD MP Sudhakar Singh, Ajay Rai – the attack on ‘manobal’ (morale) of our Forces is not a ‘sanyog’ (conicidence) but sahyog (cooperation) to Pakistan,” Poonawalla wrote on his X handle.
Ajay Rai’s ‘toy Rafale jet’ act
The controversy arose when Ajay Rai, criticising the government’s response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, displayed a toy Rafale aircraft decorated with lemons and chillies. He mocked the government’s purchase of Rafale jets, claiming they were merely sitting in hangars with traditional ward-off-evil decorations.
“Terrorist activities have increased in the country, and people are suffering from it. Our youth lost their lives in the Pahalgam terror attack. But, this government, which talks a lot, says that they will crush terrorists — they brought Rafale, but they are in their hangars having chilly and lemon hanging in them. When will they take action against terrorists, those who support them, and their backers?” Rai said.
The reference to lemons and chillies appeared to mock defence minister Rajnath Singh’s 2019 traditional ceremony during India’s first Rafale jet acquisition in France, where he performed a “puja” by placing lemons under the aircraft’s wheels and a coconut on top.
