The Opposition parties on Saturday criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for taking credit for Operation Sindoor in a video posted on social media.

Posted on the BJP’s account on social media platform X, the video criticised the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government that was in power at the Centre between 2004 and 2014 for alleged “passivity” in responding to terror attacks.

The video criticised the Congress-led government for having held peace talks with Pakistan despite terror attacks such as the ones in Mumbai in 2008 and Hyderabad in 2013. There was “no retaliation, no lesson taught” to the neighbouring country, the party alleged in the video.

“Unlike the UPA regime’s passivity, New India has no patience for futile peace talks,” said the post. “No more peace with a terror-supporting nation.”

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Stating that this was “not the time for politics”, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Manoj Jha requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in the matter.

“I just want to ask the prime minister how the tweet might be perceived by the Pakistani media, and how the world might think of it,” Jha told PTI. “Governments and parties may come and go, but the nation will endure.”

Pawan Khera, the chief of the Congress’ publicity unit, also questioned the BJP.

Khera said: “So now you want to do politics? Is it time to do politics? Does the government not need the support of the opposition? Isn't it time to give a message of unity? The government and BJP should clarify.”

Supriya Shrinate, the chief of Congress’ social media unit, said that the BJP “will not stop its dirty politics”.

“The Opposition is supporting the government 100% – and they have no time to spare for spreading lies against us,” Shrinate said. “There are many questions ranging from their history to their current situation – we felt this is not the time for politics. But BJP doesn’t believe so.”

In another post, Shrinate said that if the same tweet had come from the Opposition, it would have elicited responses such as “this is not the time for politics” and “politics before country”.

“But because it’s the BJP, not a squeak – and this when the opposition is giving 100% support,” she added.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called the post a “petty attempt to divide us politically”.

“Our government has learned the futility of past approaches the hard way – after inviting Pakistan to participate in the investigation of the Pathankot blasts in 2016,” said the Thiruvananthapuram MP. “It is only then that it took to the path of military action, carefully calibrated and maturely conducted.”

Opposition criticises ‘inflammatory content’

On Friday, the Opposition parties also urged the Centre to take action against news channels airing “inflammatory and misleading content”.

In a letter to Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw, Communist Party of India general secretary D Raja said that “certain channels are communalising” the tensions between India and Pakistan and “promoting war hysteria without any official confirmation”.

Raja said that such coverage threatens national unity.

Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Manoj Jha also urged the media to show restraint.

“There is no need to publicly discuss where our artillery or aircraft are moving,” the Rajya Sabha member was quoted as saying by PTI. “This only creates panic.”

Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose condemned “mainstream” media channels and said she would raise the matter in Parliament.

“India’s TV media and certain social media handles are becoming internationally known as outlets for misinformation and disinformation campaigns and spreader of brazen lies,” she said in a post on X

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