Politics

Nirmala Sitharaman sees ‘Congress ploy’ behind Imran Khan’s ‘endorsement’ of Modi for second term

Defence Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday alleged that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement ‘endorsing’ his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for a second term could be a ‘ploy by the Congress to oust him.’

Sitharaman, in an interview with news agency ANI, said: “I wouldn’t know why such statements are being made. Every time such statements are made and this is individually my perception and not my party’s or the government’s take. There have been many eminent leaders of the Congress who went there (Pakistan) to seek help to oust Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They went there saying ‘Modi hatane ke liye hamen madad karo’ (help us to oust Modi). I wonder whether this is also a part of the scheme of things which have been put by Congress. I don’t know what to make of this honestly.”

Reacting over Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s statement that India will strike Pak between April 16-20.

Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan had recently said that there may be a better chance of peace talks with India if PM Narendra Modi’s BJP comes to power again. 

Khan said that the Congress party might be too scared to seek a settlement with Pakistan over Kashmir, fearing a backlash from the right wing if they come to power.

“Perhaps if the BJP – a right-wing party – wins, some kind of settlement in Kashmir could be reached,” Imran Khan told journalists in an interview.

Earlier, the Congress lashed out at Modi saying that Pakistan has ‘officially sided’ with Modi and vote for him would be a vote for Pakistan.

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