Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra stirred controversy with his remarks suggesting that the women who lost their husbands in the recent Pahalgam terror attack lacked the warrior spirit. Speaking at an event in Bhiwani marking the 300th birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar, the BJP leader said the victims should have resisted the attackers instead of becoming “easy targets.”
“Wahan par jo hamari veerangnayein behne thee, jinki maang ka sindoor chheen liya gaya, veerangna ka bhaav nahin tha, josh nahin tha, jazba nahin tha, dil nahin tha, isliye haath jod ke goli ka shikaar ho gaye,” Jangra said, implying that the women did not display the courage or fighting spirit of warrior queens.
He further stated, “Lekin haath jodne se koi chhodta nahin. Hamare aadmi vahan par haath jodkar maare gaye.” According to him, the attackers were not moved by pleas as they came solely with the intent to kill.
Drawing a comparison with the legacy of Ahilyabai Holkar, Jangra said that if the women had read about her bravery, such a tragedy might have been avoided. He added, “Agar yaatri training pass kiye hote, to teen ugarvaadi 26 logon ko nahin mar sakte the,” claiming that proper training could have helped the victims defend themselves.
Referring to the Agniveer military recruitment scheme, Jangra remarked that had each tourist undergone such training, they could have surrounded the terrorists and minimised the casualties.
Defending his stance later, the BJP MP reiterated that the tourists should have put up a fight against terrorists. “Bilkul ladna chahiye tha. Aur agar ladte, to kam shahadat hoti aur kam log maare jaate. Haath jodne se kaun chhodta hai? Wo to maarne ke liye aaye the… Vo to aatankvaadi the. Unke dil mein daya thodi thee. (Had they (tourists) fought, the casualties would have been less. They — terrorists — had come with an intention to kill people. They did not have mercy),” he said while responding to a question.
His remarks have triggered backlash, with critics accusing him of insensitivity toward victims of terror and their grieving families.
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