Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday rubbished Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar’s statement on the Pahalgam terror attack.

“Someone said that terrorists killed tourists in Pahalgam by asking about their religion. Is there really any time for this? Do terrorists stop to go near everyone, whisper in their ears, and ask about their religion?” Wadettiwar had said.

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Ridiculing Wadettiwar’s statement, Fadnavis said, “This is a very stupid statement. The families of the deceased will never forgive them after hearing this statement.”

“By making such statements, they are rubbing salt into the wounds of relatives of those who died in the terrorist attack. The relatives of the victims had told the media. They had mentioned what happened there. Vadettiwar was not present at the place where the attack took place, at that time.

“However, by sitting here and making such statements, they are trying to hurt the feelings of the relatives of the deceased. Should we call this act stupidity or what else should we call it? I have no words to say about it,” Fadnavis said.

It may be recalled that a woman who survived the Pahalgam terror attack had told mediapersons that a total of four terrorists had attacked them. “They first asked the tourists about their religion, then opened fire”. The woman had told the media that the terrorists asked tourists, “Are you Hindu?” and then shot dead tourists who were Hindus.

“Wadettiwar’s statement is very insensitive and stupid. The relatives of people who were killed there were present at the spot. What can be greater insensitivity than calling the statements made by those relatives and the people present there false? We have lost our brothers in the terrorist attack. They and their families will never forgive such people because this statement is very stupid. These are statements that encourage our enemies,” Fadnavis said, criticising Wadettiwar’s statement.

Later, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Congress leaders are “competing to give a clean chit to Pakistan”. “Now Vijay Wadettiwar says that the government is responsible, Pakistan is not responsible, and is there any proof that terrorists killed people based on religion.

“This has not been said for the first time. The same thing was stated by Anil Deshmukh of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. At the all-party meeting, they will say that Pakistan is responsible, take action against Pakistan, take action against terrorists, we are with you. And after the all-party meeting, they say don’t take action against Pakistan,” the BJP spokesperson said.

After Wadettiwar’s statement caused an uproar, he clarified his statement, “Originally, terrorists came and took lives, and no one asked about caste or religion. If religion was asked, it means their intention could be to destabilise the country, create division between communities and harm the country.

“When terrorists ask tourists to recite the Kalma, it clearly reflects the political motives of Pakistan behind this. Terrorists have no caste, no religion. After observing this, we should not divide the country along religious lines since their (Pakistan’s) objective is to destroy the country,” he added.