ISLAMABAD: As India’s Lok Sabha elections enter its third phase, regional actors are eyeing New Delhi to who will be the next ruling party of India considering regional politics.
Pakistan’s former Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry is in hot waters after he was seen commenting and tweeting on Indian elections in recent days most of which are pro-Rahul Gandhi and criticism of Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its extremist and hatemonger policies.
Fawad Chaudhry is one of the most discussed Pakistani during election debates in India whether it’s in talk shows or on social media. Even, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned Chaudhry in a public rally without mentioning his name, saying that, “To boost the morale of Congress, their B team from across the border has become active.”
Addressing an election rally in Anand, PM Modi, said, “Look at the coincidence. The Congress today is getting weak in India. The funny thing is that as the Congress is dying, Pakistan is crying. Now, Pakistani leaders are praying for Congress.”
On Fawad Chaudhary’s tweet about Indian elections, Indian PM Modi mentioned @fawadchaudhry in a public rally without mentioning his name, saying that”To boost the morale of #Congress, their B team from across the border has become active,”. Wow, #FawadChaudhary‘s tweets will have… pic.twitter.com/hGwKIy152W
— Ghulam Abbas Shah (@ghulamabbasshah) May 7, 2024
In his recent tweet, the former Information Minister wrote, “The third phase of the Indian election today, for the sake of harmony, peace, and regional stability Indian voter should vote only with one ambition ..knockout extremists .”
READ MORE: Election 2024: Fawad Chaudhry declares Election boycott
https://twitter.com/fawadchaudhry/status/1787700069086429677
Rahul on fire …. https://t.co/6pi1mL0bQN
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) May 1, 2024
In a separate tweet, Fawad Chaudhry said, “Rahul Gandhi like his great Grandfather Jawaharlal has a socialist in him, The problems of India and Pakistan are so same even after 75 years of partition.”
“Rahul Sahib in his last night speech said 30 or 50 families own 70% of India’s wealth so is in Pakistan where only a business club called Pak Business Council and a few real estate Seth’s own 75% of Pakistan’s wealth.. fair distribution of wealth is the biggest challenge of capitalism,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi like his great Grandfather Jawaharlal has a socialist in him, problems of India and Pak are so same even after 75 years of partition, Rahul sahib in his last night speech said 30 or 50 families Owns 70% of India wealth so is in Pakistan where only a business club…
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) May 4, 2024
However, despite praising Indian opposition leader Rahul, Chaudhry also received criticism from his party leaders.
While talking to the news agency ANI, Congress leader Rashid Alvi hit back at the BJP over former Pakistan minister praising Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and asserted that he was “pressured” by former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother’s current government. He claimed that Nawaz Sharif “had good relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.
Alvi also said that the BJP could benefit from such comments while campaigning for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
जिस तरह दक्षिण भारत ने मोदी जी की एक्सट्रेमिस्ट रियासत को मात दी हे यह केंद्र और उत्तर भारत के लिए एक मिसाल हे के यह भी मोदी की नफ़रत को रोक सकते हैं । इंडिया को मोदी की नफ़रत और तक़सिम से बचाना आपका कम हे https://t.co/IWq9dlqir2
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) May 4, 2024
Last week, BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya also slammed the Congress after Hussain praised Rahul Gandhi. He tweeted, “Ch Fawad Hussain, who served in the Imran Khan cabinet, as Minister for Information and Broadcasting, is promoting Rahul Gandhi. Is the Congress planning to contest the election in Pakistan?”
On Monday, BJP’s Union Minister Hardeep Puri took on the former Pakistan minister and asked him to focus on his own country which can’t even maintain power supply to people.
“They are taking a side in our election. Apne apko ko theek karo, 8 baje ke baad bijli band kar dete ho (you fix your own country, you shut power supply after 8),” he said in an interview with ANI.
Taking on X, Indian policy analyst and ex-army officer Pravin Sawhney defended Fawad Chaudhry’s remarks, saying, “Indian policymakers and analysts regularly comment on Pakistan’s internal matters. I haven’t seen Pakistanis take umbrage. They ignore the remarks.”
“The question then is: Why are Indian Sanghis getting hot under the collar at what a former Pakistan policymaker said about an Indian leader? Maturity required that his remarks should have been ignored- the catch, however, is, are the Sanghis from top to bottom mature enough to talk of anything except divisiveness,” he added.
While talking to Daily Ausaf, Fawad Chaudhry said, “From the reaction of Narendra Modi and the Hindu Mahasabha, it is clear that they are worried about the outcome of the election from within. An extremist narrative is emerging in Indian elections and if this narrative gets a majority, not only India but the entire region will be destabilized.”
