All-out war over Rahul’s ‘dalaali’ barb

The ongoing political slugfest over the Indian Army’s surgical strikes across the LoC reached a crescendo on Friday with the BJP tearing into the Congress over its vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s “khoon ki dalaali” remark and the later hitting back at the ruling party for using the Army for political mileage.

A day after Mr Gandhi’s “dalaali” remark, it was BJP boss Amit Shah who lead the attack. The BJP chief said that Mr Gandhi has “crossed all limits” and “insulted the Indian Army and its courageous deed,” adding that the Congress is “voicing Pakistan’s helplessless instead of joining people’s enthusiasm over the strikes.”

Referring to the scams under UPA-II, Mr Shah quipped that the word “dalaali is on Mr Gandhi’s mind as his party’s government profiteered on the Bofors, Embraer, 2G and coal block allocations.”

Striking a nationalist note, the BJP chief said, “Those doubting the strikes are anti-India,” and added, “Dalaali is done on products. Can it be done on soldiers’ blood Can it have a price They destroyed the launchpads of those terror groups whose operatives your government (UPA) tried to save through a legal process.” While Mr Shah made it clear that the Army action against Pakistan should not be politicised, he also gave a clear indication that the BJP “will go to the people” to talk about the issue. For Mr Shah, going to people over the issue “will boost the Army’s morale.”

In its assault on the Congress, the BJP got support from unexpected quarters. The AAP and the NCP joined the chorus in flaying Mr Gandhi over his “dalali” remark.

But the Congress remained somewhat defiant and kept pecking at the BJP. The party fielded senior leader Kapil Sibal to counter and defend. “Somebody who has been jailed and was tadipaar (externed), has murder cases against him will now tell us abour Rahul Gandhi’s roots,” Mr Sibal charged and defended the Congress scion saying that Mr Gandhi knew what he was saying and people of the country understand the sentiment behind his words.

Trying to justify himself, Mr Gandhi on Friday said that he has “unequivocally” supported the military action but is against the use of the Army in political posters and propaganda by the BJP.

The BJP chief said that after the Congress’ earlier remarks, describing Mr Modi as “maut ke saudagar” (merchant of death) and accusing him of doing “zahar ki kheti” (sowing poison), the BJP won two-third majority in Gujarat. He then wondered, “What will be the fallout of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘khoon ki dalali’ barb.”

Countering the charges, Mr Sibal argued that Jaish-e-Mohammed, which has been carrying out terror plots in India, “is a creation of the BJP.” He maintained that had the BJP government not released Masood Azhar, such a situation would not occur.

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress played a video —”Desh bhakti or vote bhakti” — showing him politicisng 26/11 terrorist attacks and showed a 2013 tweet of Mr Modi where he allegedly felt that the Army was “weak.”

Making it clear that the Congress was upset with the BJP trying to make the surgical strikes an issue in the UP polls, Mr Sibal asked, “Who is putting up posters in UP on surgical strikes Why is Parrikar being felicitated in Agra, why is Shivraj Chauhan saying 56-inch has now become 100 inch ”

Questioning the BJP’s claim that this was the first time the Indian Army had crossed the LoC, Mr Sibal, referring to 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, asked, “Did Modi cross the LoC in 1965 and 1971 ” And then came the Sibal sting: “Modi thinks that the history of this country starts from 2014 and will end in 2019.”

BJP functionaries have indicated that the party is all set to unleash a major propaganda blitzkrieg over the strikes during the forthcoming high-stake Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.