Congress leader Bupesh Baghel on Saturday condemned Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s remarks about prime minister Narendra Modi.
The Chhattisgarh chief ministe’s reaction comes amid nationwide protests against Zardari’s ‘highly objectionable’ remarks at the United Nations Security Council meeting on Thursday. “I condemn the statement made by Bilawal Bhutto… a befitting reply must be given,” Baghel said.
“No one has the right to make such a statement about our prime minister. We have different political ideologies but this is about (the) nation and Modi is our PM,” he added.
This week saw an exchange of scathing attacks between India and Pakistan at a UN Security Council meeting in the United States.
After external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s sharp takedown of Pakistan – over its support for terrorism – the Pak foreign minister referred to Modi as ‘the butcher of Gujarat’. The Indian foreign minister had earlier accurately highlighted Pak support to terror groups – which has been raised at various forums – and described the country as the ‘epicentre of terrorism’.
India hit back with a fierce response; the external affairs ministry slammed Bhutto for his ‘uncivilised outburst’ and said, “These comments are a new low, even for Pakistan… foreign minister’s frustration would be better directed to masterminds of terrorist enterprises in his own country, who have made terrorism a part of their state policy.”
The Pak minister’s outburst triggered massive protests across the country on Saturday; BJP workers agitated near the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi and hordes in other cities burnt effigies of Zardari. “India came together to condemn and protest Bhutto’s uncivilised and distasteful comment on PM Modi,” the ruling party said, according to news agency ANI.
Protests were held in Rajkot, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Botad, Mahisagar, Junagadh, and other cities throughout Gujarat. In some places, BJP activists chanted anti-Bhutto slogans.