‘They used to come as journalists’: BJP replies to Congress’ charge of alleged 'links with terrorists'

BJP has categorically refuted Congress' allegation of an alleged link with terrorists.

New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP on Tuesday responded to the Congress' allegation of an alleged link between the saffron leaders and the LeT terrorists apprehended by the security forces recently. Refuting the Congress charge, Ravinder Raina, J&K BJP President, said, “Talib Hussain, a LeT terrorist & his accomplice, Faizal Ahmed Dar used to reach the BJP office pretending to be a journalist. They would attend press conferences as reporters inside BJP offices and even at political rallies.”

Jammu, J&K | Talib Hussain, a LeT terrorist & his accomplice, Faizal Ahmed Dar used to reach the BJP office pretending to be a journalist. Would attend press conferences as reporters inside BJP offices & even at political rallies: Ravinder Raina, J&K BJP President (1/2) pic.twitter.com/oqJLb43Elj — ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2022

Raina further stated that Let terrorist Talib's phone has shown photos and videos which are disturbing. “It seems that Talib recced our BJP J&K HQ office and even sent them to people across LoC to the LeT. Security agencies are investigating, can reveal some big links.”

Talib's phone has shown photos & videos which are disturbing. It seems that Talib recced our BJP J&K HQ office & even sent them to people across LoC to LeT. Security agencies are investigating, can reveal some big links: Ravinder Raina, J&K BJP President (2/2) pic.twitter.com/Rm5uT0K9N1 — ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2022

The clarification from Ravinder Raina came after the main opposition party Congress came down heavily on the BJP over its alleged links with apprehended LeT terrorists in J&K and killers of Kanhaiya Lal whose pictures with BJP leaders have come to the fore.

It may be recalled that the residents of Tuksan Dhok village in Jammu and Kashmir`s Reasi district recently exhibited exemplary courage by overpowering and capturing two most wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists. They also snatched their weapons and handed them over to the security forces. The daredevil act of the villagers prompted J&K Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, to announce a Rs 5 lakh reward for the denizens of Tuksan Dhok village.

The J&K Police identified the two captured terrorists as Talib Hussain Shah from Draj village in Rajouri and Faizal Ahmed Dar of Pulwama in South Kashmir. Two AK-47 rifles, seven grenades, a pistol, and a large number of arms and ammunition were seized from them.

On Tuesday, addressing a press conference, Congress' Communication-In-charge, Pawan Khera sought answers from the BJP over the issue. He said, "Two incidents in the past week have exposed the two-faced BJP. First, we learned that one of the accused in Kanhaiya Lal`s horrific murder in Udaipur was a BJP worker. Then it emerged that a captured Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir was not only a BJP office-bearer who had previously been captured in photos with Home Minister Amit Shah but was also planning to attack the Amarnath Yatra."

It is "shocking" that the BJP, a party that loses no opportunity to preach about nationalism, has members and office-bearers who are deeply implicated in violent anti-national activities, he added.

He alleged that there is long list of BJP functionaries who have been caught participating at the behest of Pakistani agencies in terrorism and espionage. Former BJP leader and ex-sarpanch Tariq Ahmad Mir was arrested two years ago for procuring weapons for Hizbul Mujahideen commander Naveed Babu, he alleged. 

In 2017, the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested the BJP IT Cell member Dhruv Saxena along with ten accomplices for spying for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Directorate, Balram Singh, a Bajrang Dal leader from Madhya Pradesh, was arrested in a terror funding case.

He added that in 2017, a special court of the NIA sentenced Assam BJP leader Niranjan Hojai to life imprisonment for participating in a Rs 1,000 crore scam to divert government funds to support a militant group.

The BJP has also knowingly given a ticket to Masood Azhar`s acolyte Mohammad Farooq Khan to contest the Srinagar municipal election from Ward 33. Khan was previously a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and the Harkatul Mujahideen.

Khera said they appeal to the people of India to see through the BJP`s fake nationalism and its disturbing willingness to flirt with anti-national forces.

"What kind of an ideology finds a place for both Nupur Sharma and Riyaz Attari? And accommodates radicals like Talib Hussain? Is the BJP inspired by the alliance between the Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League in which extremists of all religions banded together to prevent nationalist forces like the Congress to come to power?" he added

Denying any such links, the BJP accused Congress of playing politics on the recent incidents.

(With Agency Inputs)