New Delhi – Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday rebuked former Pakistani cabinet minister Fawad Hussain for commenting on Kejriwal’s social media post about voting with his family during the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
Kejriwal had shared a photo of himself and his family, their fingers marked with indelible ink, encouraging people to vote. “I voted today with my father, wife, and children. My mother is very ill. She could not go. I voted against dictatorship, unemployment, and inflation. You too must go and vote,” Kejriwal said in his post.
Fawad Hussain, a former member of Imran Khan’s cabinet, responded to the post, saying, “May peace and harmony defeat forces of hate and extremism.”
Kejriwal was quick to respond, asking Hussain to refrain from commenting on Indian elections. In a post written in Hindi, Kejriwal criticized Pakistan as a major sponsor of terrorism and advised Hussain to focus on his own country’s issues. “Chaudhary Sahib, I and the people of my country are fully capable of handling our issues. Your tweet is not needed. The situation in Pakistan is very bad right now. You take care of your country,” Kejriwal stated. “The elections taking place in India are our internal matter. India will not tolerate interference from the biggest sponsors of terrorism.”
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) quickly seized upon the exchange. BJP National Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa expressed shock at Pakistani politicians supporting an Indian leader, implying it raised serious questions about Kejriwal’s stance. “Shocking! Why is Pakistan supporting Kejriwal and wanting more powers for him? This raises serious questions,” Sirsa said.
Tajinder Bagga, a leader from the BJP youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), suggested that Hussain’s message was a form of gratitude towards Kejriwal for previously questioning the Indian Army’s surgical strikes and demanding proof, a controversial stance that had led to significant political backlash in India. “Pakistan repaid Kejriwal for supporting Pakistan on surgical strike and asking for proof from the Indian Army,” Bagga alleged, without providing further details.
This exchange has added another layer of complexity to the already charged political atmosphere surrounding the Lok Sabha elections, highlighting the sensitivity and nationalistic sentiments at play.
