Congress accuses BJP of turning flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar episode into ‘event’
Earlier the BJP questioned why Congress leaders had not recognised Machchhar's bravery.
by Zee Media Bureau, Anjali Singh · Zee NewsNewly appointed Uttar Pradesh Congress working President Imran Masood has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of turning the flydubai stabbing incident and Captain Smit Machchhar’s brave actions into a political event.
Masood praised the Indian pilot for his bravery in averting a potential disaster after being attacked by his Omani co-pilot.
The remarks came days after Captain Machchhar was seriously injured in a cockpit attack aboard flydubai flight FZ1073. Despite sustaining grievous injuries, the pilot helped avert a possible disaster, with the aircraft subsequently diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. More than 170 people were on board.
His comments came after the BJP launched a sharp attack on the Gandhi family over what it described as their failure to acknowledge the pilot's courageous actions publicly.
Masood responds to BJP's criticism of Gandhi family's silence
Asked about the Gandhi family's alleged "silence" on Captain Machchhar's actions, Masood accused the BJP of using the episode for political purposes.
Speaking to IANS, he said, "Captain Smit Machchhar saved his own life and the lives of others. Salute to his bravery. But it is not as if the BJP has turned everything into an event. The BJP tries to turn every other issue into an event. He is alive; let's just pray he is well; that's all.
The BJP questioned why Congress leaders had not recognised Machchhar's bravery while, according to the party, members of the Gandhi family had openly expressed concern over the war in Palestine.
'Rahul Gandhi is leading the real fight against ECI'
Masood also addressed the ongoing political row involving the Election Commission of India (ECI), amid tensions between the Congress and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over allegations of differential treatment of protesters in connection with the alleged defacement of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's ancestral residence.
The Congress MP alleged that attempts were being made to divert attention from the larger issue and maintained that Rahul Gandhi was leading the principal battle against the poll panel.
"There are many things that are practised to divert the issue. But the real fight is being fought by Rahul Gandhi, and whatever outcome comes from this fight in the country will come from Rahul Gandhi's fight, not from anything else. This could be a way to diffuse the issue and divert the pressure elsewhere," Masood said.
He accused the Election Commission of undermining public trust built over decades, alleging that its actions had raised serious questions about the country's democratic institutions.
"But as far as the real fight is concerned, the whole country understands that the Election Commission has put the entire country in question. A trust that had been built over 70 years has been broken by one person sitting in the chair," he said.
"We will not let Gyanesh Kumar sit in peace. Gyanesh Kumar will have to go, and he will have to answer for this," Masood added.
Also Read: Trouble for Gyanesh Kumar as Keralam reopens probe into Malaysian engineer's death
Congress alleges BJP formed governments in Bihar and Bengal through 'stolen votes'
The Congress MP also accused the BJP of coming to power in Bihar and Bengal through what he described as "stolen votes", intensifying the political confrontation over allegations of electoral irregularities.
His remarks followed criticism from Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who accused the Congress of insulting the people's mandate by repeatedly questioning the Election Commission.
Chouhan had dismissed the allegations against the poll panel as an "old habit", claiming that such conduct was "embedded in the DNA of the Congress party".
Responding to the minister, Masood accused the BJP of undermining democracy and using allegedly stolen votes to form governments.
"They have insulted democracy. They are running governments through stolen votes. There are governments in Bengal and Bihar that have been formed through stolen votes. They are running governments on the strength of stolen votes, after killing democracy," he said.
(with IANS inputs)
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