Video Editor: Mohd. Irshad Alam
Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa on Wednesday, 27 February, said India's “pre-emptive” strikes on terror camps in Pakistan has created a wave in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will help the party win over 22 of 28 seats in the state in the coming Lok Sabha polls.
“The atmosphere....day by day, the wind is increasingly blowing in favour of BJP. Yesterday’s action of destroying terror hideouts by entering inside Pakistan has resulted in a pro-Modi wave in the country, the results of which can be seen in coming Lok Sabha polls.”BS Yeddyurappa
Read all the live updates on the Indo-Pak crisis here.
Reacting to social media outrage over his comments, Yeddyurappa took to Twitter to say that his comments had been taken out of context.
In follow-up tweets, Yeddyurappa reiterated that he had the ‘highest regard for our armed forces’ and that ‘the nation comes first and then the party’.’
Speaking at an event in New Delhi, BJP chief Amit Shah admitted that Yeddyurappa should not have politicised the 14 February Pulwama attack, India Today reported.
Speaking to reporters in Chitradurga, he had said "It has enthused youths; all this will help us in winning more than 22 Lok Sabha seats (in Karnataka)."
India conducted a major preemptive strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp early Tuesday, killing a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders.
India's action comes close on the heels of the Pulwama incident in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed in one of the deadliest terror strikes in decades in Jammu and Kashmir.
Currently, BJP holds 16 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, Congress 10 and JD(S) 2.
The ruling alliance Congress and JD(S), who have decided to contest the Lok Sabha polls together have begun discussions on seat sharing.
Sharing of seats is expected to be a litmus test for both parties with JD(S) demanding 10-12 seats, while Congress maintains that seat sharing will be based on merit and ability to win.
Pak Party Tweets About War Being an ‘Election Option’
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the party led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, used Yeddyurappa’s tweet to cast shadow on the BJP’s agenda.
Air Force excursions, war mongering, soldiers in captivity and the lives of so many people in danger all equate to 22 seats in the eyes of representatives on India’s ruling party. Is war an election option? #SayNoToWar, the official PTI handle tweeted
Another tweet read: “We hope you understand that you were manipulated into war mongering. #LetBetterSensePrevail; isolate the ppl who r desperate to win an election.War is in no nation’s interest,& its soldiers & civilians who are the collateral damage. Don’t let one man use it for political mileage. (sic)”
Indian Twitterati Up In Arms
As news of Yeddyurappa’s comments spread, people took to Twitter to express their condemnation. From ministers across the political spectrum to journalists and citizens, Yeddyurappa came under fire for his ‘shameful’ comments.
‘Shameful to Exploit Jawans for Electoral Gains’
‘Beg to Differ’
‘Shocking and Shameful’
‘Is Going to War an Electoral Strategy?’
‘No Words can Describe the Disgust’
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)