One year of Pulwama: Who benefitted the most from the attack? asks Rahul Gandhi

A war of words broke out between Congress and BJP on the first anniversary of the terror attack at Pulwama on a CRPF convoy with Rahul Gandhi hitring out at the Modi government wondering who benefited the most from the attack.

“Today as we remember our 40 CRPF martyrs in the Pulwama attack, let us ask: 1. Who benefited the most from the attack,” Rahul said and sought to know the outcome of the inquiry into the terror attack.

The former Congress President also wanted to know who in the BJP government has been held accountable for the security lapses that allowed the attack.

BJP hit back at Rahul calling him a “known sympathiser” of terror outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba and accused him of targeting the security forces on a day when the nation was remembering the martyrs.

“When the nation is paying homage to martyrs of dastardly Pulwama attack, Rahul Gandhi, a known sympathizer of LeT & Jaish-e-Mohammad, chooses to target not just the government but security forces as well. Rahul will never question real culprit, Pakistan...,” BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said.

Congress hit back at the BJP accusing hit of using the blood and sacrifice of the soldiers to garner votes in elections.

“BJP's only focus is vote security and not national security,” Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill told reporters here accusing the BJP of hiding the report of the investigation into the Pulwama attack.

“The world knows that Pakistan was responsible for Pulwama attacks but the BJP government is silent about the big intelligence failure and security lapse that led to the attack,” he said.

BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain claimed that the remarks made by Congress leaders help Pakistan counter India on the global stage.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury also targeted the government on the intelligence failure that he claimed had led to the attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead.

The attack ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent air strikes at terror launch pads in Balakot in Pakistan is believed to have helped the BJP return to power with a larger mandate.

The opposition believes that the Lok Sabha elections were poised in its favour before the Pulwama attack on the back of its campaign on the flagging economy, Rafale controversy and agrarian distress.