Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Prakash Javadekar slammed Congress leader Sam Pitroda for his remarks questioning the government's aggressive action against Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack, and demanded an apology from his party president Rahul Gandhi.
"He has shown to the people of this country the true ideology and mindset of the Congress. Sam Pitroda reflects absolutely deplorable mindset of Rahul Gandhi and Congress party. Rahul Gandhi should immediately apologise to the entire nation and to our armed forces and to those who have given up their lives to protect the sovereignty and integrity of India," Goyal told reporters in Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Railways Minister accompanied his ministerial colleague Jitendra Singh, who filed his nomination papers as the BJP candidate from the Udhampur-Doda parliamentary constituency.
"It is a sad day for all of India...I think people of India will not forgive them. They will not forgive Rahul and his aide Sam," Goyal said.
Criticising Pitroda, Union HRD Minister Javadekar told reporters in Jaipur, "The statement by Rahul Gandhi's guru and main advisor Sam Pitroda is shocking which reflects the Congress mindset. They are absolving Pakistan from terrorism and they are blaming India for taking action against terrorism."
"They are also creating doubts about the action of India and about our brave soldiers. They will be more darling in Pakistan media today but the whole country is condemning it. This is absolute insult to India," he said.
Javadekar, who is in charge of BJP affairs in Rajasthan, said, "We will win all the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. People have confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. People know that the country will be safe and development will take place under his rule."
In Dehradun, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat told reporters, "What Pitroda has said about Pulwama terror strike and the subsequent Indian retaliation against terror camps in Pakistan is an insult to the 125 crore 'rashtra bhakts'... It has become the nature of Congress to raise doubts about the valour of our armed forces."
"We condemn it in the harshest of words," he said when he had accompanied Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah to file her nominations as the BJP candidate from Tehri parliamentary constituency.
Pitroda, the Indian Overseas Congress chief, earlier in the day told media that one cannot "jump on entire nation" (Pakistan) just because some people from there "came here and attacked".
In an apparent reference to the Pulwama terror attack, the Congress leader said attacks happen all the time and then referred to the Mumbai terror strikes in 2008 when the Congress-led UPA was in power, saying the then government could have sent its planes but that is "not the right approach".
He also sought more facts from the Modi government on Balakot air strikes last month while referring to international media reports questioning claims that over 300 terrorists were killed in the IAF action.
His remarks drew sharp reaction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The prime minister said Pitroda, Congress president Rahul Gandhi's "most trusted advisor and guide", has kick-started the Pakistan National Day celebrations on behalf of his party, "ironically by demeaning India's armed forces".
Pakistan celebrates its National Day on March 23.
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