Saturday, December 20, 2025
ADVT 
India

Smriti Irani Calls Navjot Sidhu India's 'Jaichand' Over Pulwama Comment

Darpan News Desk IANS, 22 Feb, 2019 10:59 PM

    Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday hit out at Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, calling him modern India's Jaichand for "defending" Pakistan after the Pulwama attack.


    "Such people will be taught a lesson by the people" she added.


    Jaichand had betrayed Prithviraj Chauhan in a battle against Muhammad Ghori in 1192.


    "Those who call Pakistan PM their friend and try to defend Pakistan by claiming it had no role in the Pulwama attack are modern India's Jaichands," she said while replying to questions on Mr Sidhu but didn't take his name.


    Following the car bomb attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14 that had killed forty CRPF personnel, the cricketer-turned-politician had said that an entire nation could not be blamed for the actions of "a handful of people".


    Condemning the attack, Mr Sidhu, who was among the invitees for the swearing-in ceremony of Imran Khan as Pakistan prime minister last year, however had posed, "For a handful of people, can you blame the entire nation and can you blame an individual?"


    On whether cricket matches should be played with Pakistan, she said, "Being an Indian I think that each Pakistani with ill intentions should be taught a lesson... at a time when our country wants justice for the martyred families, there is no relevance of this question of playing with Pakistan."


    However, she added, it was her personal view and any decision in this regard will be taken by the sports ministry.


    The Union Minister also criticised Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for seeking "actionable intelligence" in Pulwama attack, saying before asking for evidence, he must answer what Pakistan had done after getting evidence of 26/11 Mumbai attack masterminded by Hafiz Saeed.


    "What action did Pakistan take against him?," she asked.


    Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday said he would act against the perpetrators of the Pulwama attack if India shares "actionable intelligence" with Islamabad.


    She said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a free hand to the Indian army to deal sternly with terrorists and "we have full faith in our jawans who will avenge at appropriate time."


    She was in Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday to seek suggestions for the party's ''Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat'' programme in which she held interaction with people to include their views in the BJP manifesto.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    2 Train Passengers Stab Ticker Checker In UP When Asked For Ticket

    2 Train Passengers Stab Ticker Checker In UP When Asked For Ticket
    The incident occurred in the S10 coach of the Delhi-bound Sapt Kranti Express near Kaptanganj -- around 40 km from Gorakhpur junction -- on Monday evening, the police said.

    2 Train Passengers Stab Ticker Checker In UP When Asked For Ticket

    Mass Conversions Need To Be Checked Across Country: Rajnath Singh

    Rajnath Singh said as far as the NDA government is concerned there will not be discrimination against anybody.

    Mass Conversions Need To Be Checked Across Country: Rajnath Singh

    No Hidden Agenda In Entry Of Women To Sabarimala: Kerala Tells Court

    It is also practically not possible to ascertain the antecedents and genuineness of all the devotees visiting Sabarimala, the government said.  

    No Hidden Agenda In Entry Of Women To Sabarimala: Kerala Tells Court

    Stopped Loot Of Public Money, Now Conspiracy To Drive Me Out: PM Modi

    Stopped Loot Of Public Money, Now Conspiracy To Drive Me Out: PM Modi
    "We have put an end to the loot of public money. We stopped siphoning of Rs. 90,000 crores," PM Modi said in Odisha.

    Stopped Loot Of Public Money, Now Conspiracy To Drive Me Out: PM Modi

    Who Should Be India's PM, Decisive Or Maverick Leader, Asks Jaitley

    To ensure that this happens as projected, it is a pre-requisite that India has a decisive leadership, consistency in policy direction and a strong and stable government.

    Who Should Be India's PM, Decisive Or Maverick Leader, Asks Jaitley

    Kanakadurga Attacked By Mother-In-Law When She Reached Home After Sabarimala Visit

    Kanakadurga, who had been in hiding for the last two weeks after the darshan of Lord Ayyappa at the Sabarimala shrine due to security reasons, reached home in Perinthalmanna on Tuesday morning.

    Kanakadurga Attacked By Mother-In-Law When She Reached Home After Sabarimala Visit