Congress defends Azad’s remark on ‘demonetisation deaths’

Seeking to defend senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s remarks comparing deaths related to demonetisation with the casualties in the Uri terror attack, party leader Anand Sharma on Friday flayed the BJP for giving a “communal twist” to the matter.

“Ghulam Nabi Azad is not just the leader of the opposition (in the Rajya Sabha) but has been the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. There have been 26 bids on his life by terrorists, a man who always stood for the nation, do we have such a situation now that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will decide who is a nationalist and who is not,” Sharma told the media outside parliament.

“In the Uri attack, 19 of our soldiers were martyred, but here 47 persons have died so for (following demonetisation).

“It is shameful that they (BJP) are trying to give this a communal twist,” Sharma said.

Azad’s remark on Thursday triggered a furore in the Rajya Sabha. The remark was later expunged by the House.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the House again on Friday with Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi demanding an apology from Azad.