Victims' families reject Robert Vadra's comments on Pahalgam terror attack

The families of those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack have strongly criticized businessman Robert Vadra's comments on the tragedy.

Vadra had suggested that the terrorists targeted civilians in Pahalgam because "they think that Muslims are being suppressed" in India. Family members of the victims from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh have dismissed this as an attempt to politicize the heinous attack and reaffirmed that it was an act of terrorism.

In Indore, Madhya Pradesh, the family of Sushil Nathaniel, a Christian man killed in the attack, voiced their disapproval. His brother, Vikas Nathaniel, recounted the harrowing details of Sushil's death, saying, "At that time, my sister-in-law was with him, and they (terrorists) asked him (Sushil) to kneel down and recite Kalma and asked him about his religion. When he said that he was from the Christian religion, they killed him on the spot... We do not agree with his (Vadra's) statement. The government is cooperating fully, the government itself did not know that such a terrorist attack would happen."

In Bhavnagar, Gujarat, the relatives of Yatish Parmar and his son Smit Parmar, who were also killed in the attack, echoed similar sentiments.

Prashant Nathani, a relative, remarked, "PM Modi revoked Article 370, and peace was established in Kashmir, and people from all over India could go there comfortably. But these terrorists cannot be trusted. So we are not trusting the words of the Congress party and others. We will trust the action being taken by the government... We are a little satisfied with the information we have received from the central government. Hindus and Muslims are living together in India."

Vinod Agarwal, a relative of Dinesh Mirania from Chhattisgarh, who was also killed, rejected Vadra’s political statement. "This attack is on Hindutva, and it has not happened because of Hindutva. People have been killed after asking their names. Congress has always done politics. The country understands the character of Congress. It has always been against Hindutva... this is not a matter of politics," he said.

Robert Vadra had labeled the attack as a grim reflection of India’s "communal divide," stating, "I feel terrible and my deepest condolences are for the people who have died in this terrorist act...In our country, we see that this government will talk about Hindutva, and the minorities feel uncomfortable and troubled...If you dissect this terrorist act that took place, if they (terrorists) are looking at people's identity, why are they doing this? Because there's a divide that has come about in our country with Hindus and Muslims." He further claimed, "This will make these kinds of organisations feel that Hindus are making a problem for all the Muslims. Looking at identities and then killing somebody, that's a message to the PM, because Muslims are feeling weakened."

In response to Vadra's comments, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh sharply criticized him, accusing his remarks of exposing "the problematic mindset within the Gandhi family" and suggesting that his statement was politically motivated.