The Congress on Friday accused the BJP of a double standard on the, citing how the law was withdrawn from parts of the Northeast during the Narendra Modi government’s tenure.
Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Amit Shah have been labelling the Congress “anti-national” because its poll manifesto promises to revoke the law, which gives the armed forces extraordinary powers to shoot or arrest on suspicion in disturbed areas.
“Was it an anti-national act when the BJP promised complete withdrawal of the AFSPA in 2014? What about the withdrawal in Tripura after 18 years in 2015; in April 2018 in Meghalaya after 27 years and in three districts of Arunachal Pradesh after 32 years?” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
“Is the Congress anti-national for honouring the Supreme Court judgment in its manifesto that rape and murder can’t be condoned under the AFSPA?”
The Congress spokesperson added: “The two errant disciples of L.K. Advani should listen to their guru who has cautioned them against branding people ‘anti-national’.”
BJP veteran L.K. Advani had on Thursday declared that the BJP had never seen “those who disagree with us” as “anti-national”, appearing to publicly chastise Modi and Shah.
Surjewala said: “Modi and Shah are distributing certificates on who is anti-national and who is patriotic. The BJP veteran and Modi and Shah’s guru, L.K. Advani, has in a stinging indictment unmasked his disciples, telling them that those who are in disagreement cannot be condemned as ‘anti-national’. He exposed Modi-Shah’s arrogance and said such tendencies were undemocratic.”
The Congress spokesperson added: “We disagree with Advaniji on several issues but the disciples who betrayed him are not ashamed at all. They continue to describe others as ‘anti-national’ but the people understand the impudence of the disciples who insult their guru. Modi and Shah have branded people ‘anti-national’ for no reason for the last five years.”