Never witnessed riots during festivals earlier: Khera slams BJP for K’taka clash

New Delhi: Congress National Spokesperson Pawan Khera on Thursday condemned the BJP over the communal clash in Karnataka during the Ganpati procession and said that the mentality of the ruling party was to create dispute in society and the country.

On Wednesday, two groups clashed in Karnataka's Mandya district after stones were allegedly pelted at a Ganpati idol immersion procession in Nagamangala town. Some shops and vehicles were set afire following the incident.

"I haven’t witnessed communal clashes during festivals since my childhood. However, in the last ten years, the BJP has tried to incite disputes or violence during Hanuman Jayanti, Rama Navami, and Muharram," he told IANS.

Pawan Khera also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit to Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud's residence and said he has a habit of going without being invited.

"The PM has also visited Pakistan several times without being invited. I don't have any information about whether he was invited (to the CJI’s house) or not and who all were invited," he added.

He also commented on a recent statement by former Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat who claimed that she received no support from the Olympic Association President and claimed that the photos of PT Usha at the hospital were clicked without her knowledge.

Strongly criticising PT Usha for this behaviour, the Congress spokesperson said, "She acted according to the Centre's directives, which were given merely for appearances. They wanted to project an image of support during difficult times, but in reality, their actions fall short and are detrimental to the nation."

He also condemned BJP leader and former MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah for threatening Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi by saying that he would face the same fate as his grandmother late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who was assassinated by her own bodyguards.

"When he was in the Congress, he did not have this type of mentality. But, after joining the BJP, he is speaking like this. Then the question arises! Can the ruling party threaten to kill the LoP publicly? Now, the entire world is seeing this and laughing at India," he asserted.