The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday launched a scathing attack on Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Jitendra Awhad after his wife, Ruta Awhad, made controversial remarks comparing Osama Bin Laden with former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. The remarks, made during a public event, have drawn widespread criticism from political circles.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the opposition alliance, INDIA bloc, of consistently defending individuals linked to terrorism. “Jitendra Awhad’s wife, in a public forum, urged children to read the biography of Osama Bin Laden alongside APJ Abdul Kalam to understand how Bin Laden became a terrorist. This reflects the INDIA bloc’s habitual defense of terrorists,” Poonawalla stated.
He further charged that members of the Congress-NCP alliance have a history of defending individuals associated with terrorism. “Jitendra Awhad defended Ishrat Jahan, while leaders from Congress, NCP, and SP have often expressed support for figures like Yakub Memon, Afzal Guru, and Ajmal Kasab,” Poonawalla added.
The controversy erupted after Ruta Awhad addressed a gathering of children and suggested that they read Osama Bin Laden’s biography to understand how societal forces shaped him into a terrorist. “Just as APJ Abdul Kalam became President, Osama Bin Laden became a terrorist. But why did he become a terrorist? It was society that pushed him in that direction,” she remarked.
The BJP has condemned the comparison, accusing the opposition of glorifying terrorists and undermining national security. The NCP is yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
