Gujarat polls: New controversy over Chidambaram's photo with Taliban leader
Before the second phase of Gujarat elections, Congress is facing a deluge of problems. After training its guns on Mani Shankar Aiyar and Kapil Sibal, BJP's new target is former FM P Chidambaram. A massive controversy erupted after Chidambaram's picture with a Taliban leader, Mullah Abdul Zaeef has surfaced online. The image was shared in 2013 by the then-BJP spokesperson, Nirmala Sitharaman. Here's more!
When was the Chidambaram-Zaeef image captured?
The photograph was captured when Zaeef, Taliban-supremo Mullah Omar's confidante, attended Goa's Think Fest. Chidambaram was also attending the event. Zaeef was reportedly granted a visa on insistence of intelligence agencies. They had informed the home ministry of the challenges India might face in Afghanistan after international forces withdrew. The BJP questioned why Chidambaram didn't leave the event once he knew of Zaeef's presence.
What is BJP's argument?
BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said "The Congress has been constantly attacking the Prime Minister personally. On national security matters, they have created a strange situation. When a photograph like this comes, Chidambaram has to explain why he was present in the room."
Meanwhile, Chidambaram called BJP's Gujarat campaign "beyond bizarre"
Meanwhile, Chidambaram slammed PM Narendra Modi for consistently attacking Congress. He said Modi's Gujarat campaign had gone "beyond bizarre." He questioned whether a political party should go to any length to win elections. He asked whether winning the elections was so important that Modi casts aspersions on former PM Manmohan Singh and V-P Hamid Ansari, referring to Mani Shankar Aiyar's dinner hosting Pakistani diplomats.
