UP CM demands apology from Ramgopal Yadav over his Pulwama attack remarks
Gorakhpur: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday slammed Samajwadi Party general secretary Ramgopal Yadav for his "shameful" remarks over the Pulwama attack, terming them the "height of appeasement".
"Questioning the martyrdom of brave soldiers by SP General Secretary Ramgopal Yadav is the height of appeasement. It is indicative of petty politics," Yogi Adityanath said here.
UP Chief Minister alleged that such "shameful" statements are a "part of the conspiracy to demoralise brave soldiers" and demanded an apology from Yadav.
"Ramgopal Yadav should apologise to the country for making such statements which encourage terrorists," he said.
"Everyone knows that our brave soldiers were killed the people accused of carrying Pulwama attack within 48 hours," Adityanath added.
Praising the Narendra Modi government for its counter-terrorism efforts, he said," Results of the zero-tolerance policy of Modi government against all kinds of secessionism and terrorism is visible today. By first surgical strike, it ended insurgency in North-East. By second surgical strike, it broke the back of terrorism in Kashmir valley."
"Our brave jawans have battled terrorism and ensured the safety of India and its people. World recognised the valour of our soldiers when they conducted air-strikes at terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot," he said lauding the Armed Forces.
"Questioning the valour of our jawans, expressing sympathies for terrorists is shameful," the erstwhile MP from Gorakhpur said.
Yogi Adityanath also alleged that several riots took place in the state during the rule of the SP government which led to the death of several innocent individuals.
"This is the same Samajwadi Party during whose regime, 1000 riots took place and several people were killed. In fact, one of the first steps that they (SP government) took was to take back the cases against people responsible for several terrorist attacks," he said.
Chief Minister questioned, "Where will this politics of vote bank and appeasement take the security of our country."
"This country will not accept such statements encouraging terrorism at a time when we are fighting a decisive battle against terrorism," he said while claiming that 'air strikes apprised India's adversaries of its strategic power'.
Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav earlier on Thursday alleged that the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama was a "conspiracy" hatched to fetch votes.
He said that the truth behind the attack will be investigated once the dispensation changes at the Centre and big names will surface.
"The paramilitary forces are unhappy with the government. The jawans were killed for votes. There was no checking (on the highway) between Jammu and Srinagar. They were sent in ordinary buses. All this was part of a conspiracy. I won't like to say it right now, but when the government changes this will be investigated and big names will surface," said Yadav said while addressing a gathering here on the occasion of Holi.
Forty CRPF personnel were killed in the terror attack when their convoy was targeted on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in Pulwama district. Later, Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed staked claim for the attack.