BHUBANESWAR: The Christmas wish of the spokesperson of Pakistan Army showing Odisha in a bad light came in for sharp criticism as political leaders cutting across party lines slammed the move terming it a ‘failed’ attempt to spew venom against India.
In a tweet, Major General of Pakistan Armed Forces Asif Ghafoor said, “Very Merry Christmas to Christians in Pakistan, across the globe and especially to the ones in the states of Odisha and alike under the Hindutva obsessed environment. #MerryChristmas #BeginningOfEnd.”
As soon as the tweet came live, Twitteratis from across the country reacted sharply and lambasted the Pak Army spokesman for his uncalled-for comments on India’s internal matters.
BJD spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra hit out at Pakistan for the kind of barbarism they practice.
Sharing his speech at the 141st Inter-Parliamentary Union at Belgrade, he said the Christians in Odisha are safe and not butchered as in Pakistan.
“The steps that Pakistan has been taking against minorities over the years are utterly shameful and condemnable. The minority youths in India want to stay because of its policies whereas minorities in Pakistan are fleeing because the neighbouring country is perpetrating crimes on them,” he said.The State BJP condemned it stating that the Pakistan Army’s observation is diminishing as minorities there have been reaching out to global platforms against religious persecution, not in India.
“Ours is a tolerant country. How can a religiously intolerant country like Pakistan make out an opinion on the minorities in our country? Odisha is a peaceful State and there is harmony among communities who present a perfect picture of universal brotherhood,” said BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty.
The Congress termed Ghafoor’s tweet as unwanted and misleading. Lok Sabha MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka said irrespective of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik supporting CAA which is against secularism and unconstitutional, communities in Odisha live in harmony. “There is no fear and no such angst and protest within the communities. It is our tradition of being accommodative, cooperative and loving. Irrespective of party affiliations, we are quite secular internally,” he added.