Pakistani Politician's Admiration for Rahul Gandhi Ignites BJP's Ire

In New Delhi, a recent social media post by a former Pakistani minister has rekindled tensions between the BJP and the Congress. Ch Fawad Hussain's post showcased excerpts from a speech by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, adorned with the caption 'Rahul on fire,' provoking sharp criticism from BJP leaders.

Amit Malviya, the BJP's IT cell chief, swiftly took to social media to question the Congress's ties with Pakistan, highlighting Mr. Hussain's prior role in Imran Khan's cabinet as Minister for Information and Broadcasting.

"Ch Fawad Hussain, formerly a member of Imran Khan's cabinet, is actively promoting Rahul Gandhi. Does this signal the Congress's intention to contest elections in Pakistan?" Malviya's tweet raised eyebrows and added fuel to the ongoing political friction.

--tw-backdrop-brightness: ; --tw-backdrop-contrast: ; --tw-backdrop-grayscale: ; --tw-backdrop-hue-rotate: ; --tw-backdrop-invert: ; --tw-backdrop-opacity: ; --tw-backdrop-saturate: ; --tw-backdrop-sepia: ; --tw-contain-size: ; --tw-contain-layout: ; --tw-contain-paint: ; --tw-contain-style: ; margin: 1.25em 0px; color: rgb(13, 13, 13); font-family: Söhne, ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji"; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"From a manifesto bearing the imprints of the Muslim League to a resounding endorsement from across the border, the Congress's dalliance with Pakistan couldn't be more apparent," he added.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla echoed these sentiments, accusing the Congress of forming a clear alliance with Pakistan.

"Congress ka haath Pakistan ke saath," Mr. Poonawalla proclaimed. "Earlier, Hafiz Saeed had declared Congress as his favorite party. Mani Aiyer sought support from Pakistan to depose PM Modi! We recall instances where 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were recently raised by Congress leaders, and BK Hariprasad openly advocated for Pakistan. Time and again, Congress leaders have defended Pakistani terrorists as well."

The video shared by Mr. Hussain depicted Rahul Gandhi criticizing the BJP, particularly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The edited clip focuses on Gandhi's remarks concerning the Ram Mandir's inauguration, where he accuses the BJP of neglecting the interests of marginalized communities.