Lambasting Congress leaders over their remarks concerning the souring relations between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the statements are demeaning and defaming the country.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here on Monday, Prasad slammed the Congress leaders, stating that this is a time when the country should speak with a united voice.

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Criticizing Rahul Gandhi and Congress Party President Mallikarjun Kharge for failing to control party leaders making shameful and insensitive statements, Prasad said that such remarks are being used by Pakistan’s media to defame India.

“…Are Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge unable to control their party? Everyone is given the freedom to say whatever they want. All their statements are being misused in Pakistan. There is a media campaign running… When the nation should be speaking in one voice, Congress leaders are demeaning the country in front of Pakistan,” he said.

Questioning the motive behind such statements, the senior BJP leader said, “What is the purpose of some statements made by certain Congress leaders? Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said that war is not inevitable…Pakistan is playing Congress leaders’ statements on TV… Karnataka Minister R.B. Timmapur said that terrorists did not ask the victims about their religion before shooting them… This is shameful…”

“The families of the deceased are weeping and telling the facts, but the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly is making such shameless statements, reflecting the height of insensitivity,” he added.

Prasad’s strong remarks come after Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah said that there was no need to engage in war after the terror attack. “Peace should prevail across the country. The Centre must strengthen security to protect the people,” Siddaramaiah had said.

“War should always be a nation’s last resort — never the first, nor the only option. Only when every other means to defeat the enemy has failed should a country be compelled to go to war,” he posted on X.

On Monday, senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that the BJP government should take responsibility for the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

“They (the government) are saying that terrorists killed people after asking about their religion. Do terrorists have time for all this? Some people say this did not happen. Terrorists have no caste or religion. Catch those responsible and take action. This is the sentiment of the country,” he was heard saying.

Another Congress leader from Karnataka, R.B. Timmapur, also raised doubts over the survivors’ claims regarding the terrorists questioning victims about their religion before killing them. “A man who is shooting, will he ask about caste or religion? He will just shoot and go. Think practically. He will not stand there, ask, and then shoot,” the Karnataka Excise Minister said.

“I feel they didn’t ask about religion while carrying out the terror attack. Even if they did, there shouldn’t be this madness of politicizing the issue based on religion,” he sai