Imran Khan’s Party Uses BS Yeddyurappa’s Comment To Taunt India

BJP accused Oppn of playing into Pak hands, but Imran Khan’s party used BS Yeddyurappa’s comment to push its agenda

Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa’s comment that India’s airstrikes in Pakistan’s Balakot will “help BJP win 22 seats in Karnataka” appears to have become an embarrassment not just for the BJP but for the country itself.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf – used the BJP leader’s comment to taunt India and allege that Indians were “manipulated into war-mongering” by “people who are desperate to win an election”. On Thursday, 28 February, the party tweeted this from its handle, quoting journalist Barkha Dutt’s tweet condemning Yeddyurappa’s comment.

We hope you understand that you were manipulated into war mongering. #LetBetterSensePrevail; isolate the ppl who r desperate to win an election.War is in no nation’s interest,& its soldiers & civilians who are the collateral damage. Don’t let one man use it for political mileage. https://t.co/n538eDBnzf

— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 28, 2019

About half an hour later, the PTI posted another tweet, alleging that war is being used as an election tactic.

Air Force excursions, war mongering, soldiers in captivity and the lives of so many people in danger all equate to 22 seats in the eyes of representatives on India’s ruling party. Is war an election option?#SayNoToWar https://t.co/BdiqiJcdVP

— PTI (@PTIofficial) February 28, 2019

The aim of PTI’s tweets appear to be two-fold:

• Try to drive a wedge between the Indian government and the people by insinuating that the stand-off with Pakistan was the misadventure of “one man” (read Prime Minister Narendra Modi), who is “desperate to win an election”.
• Divert attention from the fact that India’s airstrike at Balakot was provoked by the Pulwama Attack of 14 February, that was carried out by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad. There was no dispute regarding Pulwama Attack or the Balakot Air Stike as the Opposition stood solidly with the government on both.

But the problem is that BJP leader Yeddyurappa’s comment has given Pakistan the chance to project India as a divided house and show the Indo-Pak standoff as being the result of the BJP’s electoral plans and not a reaction to the Pulwama attack.

Yeddyurappa later clarified that his comments were taken out of context. But that damage had already been done.

My statement is being reported out of context. I said that ‘situation favourable for BJP’ which i am saying for last couple of months. This is not first time that i said BJP in Karnataka will win minimum 22 seats under the able leadership of Modi ji.

— B.S. Yeddyurappa (@BSYBJP) February 28, 2019

The PTI’s tweet would particularly be embarrassing for the BJP as only a day earlier, on 27 February, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had accused Opposition parties of playing into Pakistan’s hands.

My appeal to India’s opposition - “Let the country speak in one voice”. Please introspect - “Your ill advised statement is being used by Pakistan to bolster its case”.

— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 27, 2019

However, as luck would have it, it is not the Opposition but BJP’s own leader Yeddyurappa’s comments that are being used by Pakistan’s ruling party to further its political agenda.