Urges Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address nation on situation.

The Congress on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) not to ‘put party before country’ and urged Mr. Modi to address the nation and inform the citizens about the latest standoff with Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference, former Union Minister Manish Tewari said the country was worried about growing hostilities between India and Pakistan and was looking towards the Prime Minister for reassurance.

‘Strengthen booths’

“It is unfortunate that at this point in time, when priority should be to further strengthen the nation, the Prime Minister thinks that this is the time to strengthen their electoral booths,” said Mr. Tewari.

The Congress also targeted Mr. Modi on Twitter for talking to booth level workers on a videoconference as part of a programme called #meraboothsabsemajboot. The Congress started a hasthtag #merajawansabsemajboot to underscore the point that the BJP was giving precedence to party work over the security forces.

Mr. Tewari asserted that while the entire nation and the Opposition had backed the government and stood as one, the ruling party was trying to reap political dividends from the air strikes.

“It is not only limited to the Prime Minister, yesterday the Home Minister of India was in Bilaspur [Chhattisgarh] attending political programmes of the BJP. And that too on a day when Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman displayed exemplary courage, exemplary dignity and exemplary poise in the face of adversity. The day the pre-emptive non military strikes took place, the president of the BJP was in Ghazipur appealing for the re-election of the Prime Minister,” he added.

On the other hand, a meeting of the Congress Working Committee, which had originally been scheduled for Thursday in Ahmedabad, had been cancelled keeping in mind national interest, Mr. Tewari said.

The Congress leader also pointed to the statement of senior BJP leader from Karnataka, B.S. Yeddyurappa, in which he reportedly said that the ‘air strikes’ would help the BJP win 22 out of the 28 seats in Karnataka. “With great respect, all the statements play into the hands of Pakistan. They play into the hands of Pakistani propaganda,” he said.

“This is not the time for crass politicking,”Mr. Tewari said. “The nation today stands as one, but, it is time that the NDA-BJP Government and the Bharatiya Janata Party come together as one with the nation,” the Congress leader added.

Asked about cricketer-turned politician Navjot Singh Siddhu’s comment on resuming dialogue with Pakistan, Mr. Tewari said, “Dialogue can only take place when the atmosphere is conducive for a dialogue and the current atmosphere is not conducive for a dialogue.”