"Pakistan PR": BJP Slams Congress Over UP Leader's Nimbu-Mirchi Rafale Dig

Congress leader Ajay Rai's "nimbu mirchi" swipe at the Centre, in which he used a toy plane to question why Rafale fighters are parked in hangars when they should be out avenging the Pahalgam terror attack, has sparked a massive political row. BJP leaders have slammed the Uttar Pradesh Congress president, reiterating their charge that the main opposition party is spreading Pakistan's narrative in India.

This comes after Mr Rai put out visuals holding a toy plane with a lemon and chilli hanging from it. The lemon-chilli combo is said to "ward off evil" and is often used on vehicles with the belief that it protects the occupants from accidents.

#WATCH | Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai shows a 'toy plane' with Rafale written on it and lemon-chillies hanging in it.

Ajay Rai says, "Terrorist activities have increased in the country, and people are suffering from it. Our youth lost their lives in the… pic.twitter.com/wIwLsa4akD

— ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2025

Holding up the toy plane, Mr Rai questioned when the Centre will crack down against terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack that left 26 innocents dead. "Terrorist activities have increased in the country, and people are suffering. Our youth died in the Pahalgam terror attack. They went their happily and their dead bodies returned. This government talks a lot, says it will crush terrorists. They brought Rafale, but they are in hangars with chilly and lemon hanging from them. When will they take action against terrorists and those who support them?" Mr Rai asked.

The video made headlines in Pakistan and the BJP hit back at the Congress, saying its leaders were speaking like "Pakistan's PR agent". "Ajay Rai has not shown a toy but played with the armed forces' morale at Pakistan's behest," BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla told news agency ANI. He said the Congress had pledged full support to the Centre in any action after the terror attack, but its leaders have tried to break the morale of the forces. "Whatever Pakistan wants and whatever is their narrative, the Congress party is continuously speaking like Pakistan's PR agent," he said.

Ajay Rai is now the latest Congress leader whose remarks have exposed the party to the BJP's political attacks. And this comes despite the Congress leadership's directive to its leaders to refrain from making off-the-cuff remarks. Amid the row, Mr Rai doubled down on his remarks and said the country wants action against the Pahalgam killers. "I am just asking when Rafale will do its job," Mr Rai said. He said that while the Congress stands with the government, the latter must make a decision and the people will question if it doesn't.

Earlier, Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, Charanjit Singh Channi, Vijay Wadettiwar and RB Timmapur courted controversies with their remarks on the Pahalgam terror attack. The remarks have provided political ammunition to the BJP, which has accused the Congress of playing politics during crisis.

Determined to stop this, the Congress leadership asked party members to avoid making unnecessary remarks and said such comments don't reflect its position.

Senior Congress leader and the party's communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition, Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi had already made the party's position clear at the all-party meeting over the heinous terror attack. "Some Congress leaders have been speaking to the media. They speak for themselves and do not reflect the INC's views. There should be absolutely no doubt whatsoever at this most sensitive of times that the CWC resolution, the views expressed by Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and Shri Rahul Gandhi and the views of authorised AICC office-bearers ALONE represent the position of the INC," Mr Ramesh said on X.