In a candid discussion with senior advocate and Congress veteran Kapil Sibal, former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha criticized the Modi-led government, accusing it of using India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack as a political strategy ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. Sinha, who formerly served as India’s External Affairs Minister and was once a senior BJP leader, suggested that Pakistan-backed terrorist incidents appear to align suspiciously with Indian election timelines.
He pointed out that the Pulwama attack occurred just before the 2019 general elections and claimed a similar pattern is evident with the recent Pahalgam incident, happening ahead of Bihar polls. Sinha alleged that the ruling party exploits matters of national security to gather votes and claimed that Prime Minister Modi previously used the Pulwama and Uri attacks as rallying points during campaigns.
When Kapil Sibal described the military operation as a retaliatory act following the terror attack, Yashwant Sinha responded by drawing a connection between such actions and electoral timing. He remarked, “Bihar elections were coming. When Pulwama happened, elections were coming. Uri was attacked and after that surgical strike took place and in the election Modiji gave speech in which he said for the first time I would like to appeal against voters that they should vote us on behalf of martyrs of Pulwama. Now tell me. The issue of national security was politicised by the martyrs from Pulwama and that’s why whatever happened now I believe it is being done with full focus on Bihar elections.”
TMC’s Yashwant Sinha has given a clean chit to Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack, says it was staged for the Bihar elections.
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Further, he criticized the government for lacking transparency and accountability, particularly for not sharing detailed information about either the Pulwama or Pahalgam attacks. According to him, the public was kept in the dark in both cases.
Sinha also questioned the Prime Minister’s media conduct, stating that Modi avoids press conferences and cannot speak without a teleprompter.
Critique of the $5 Trillion Economy Goal
Turning his attention to economic policy, Sinha dismissed the government’s $5 trillion economy target, calling it an illusion. He mockingly noted that people in his former constituency don’t even comprehend the term “trillion.” Sibal concurred, saying that the goal is meaningless without a rise in per capita income—something the current government has failed to achieve. Sinha accused the Modi administration of peddling unrealistic dreams to the public.
Foreign Policy Under Fire
Sinha was equally scathing about India’s foreign policy. He argued that PM Modi has overly centralized control, diminishing the role of the External Affairs Minister. Sinha went so far as to call current Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar merely “a glorified foreign secretary,” claiming that Modi has turned foreign policy into a personal project.
He also questioned the utility of Modi’s frequent international visits, sarcastically saying the Prime Minister has probably traveled everywhere except Timbuktu. Sinha claimed these trips have cost taxpayers heavily with little diplomatic return, highlighting India’s isolation during a recent IMF vote concerning Pakistan, where no country stood with India.
Mocking the government further, both Sinha and Sibal joked that only Taiwan, the Taliban, and Israel currently support India on the world stage.
Restoring Kashmir’s Statehood
Addressing the situation in Kashmir, Sinha condemned the Modi government for deepening the alienation of Kashmiris. He advocated for the reinstatement of Article 370 and the restoration of full statehood. It is important to note that the Supreme Court of India had upheld the constitutional removal of Article 370 in a recent ruling.
Sinha Reflects on BJP’s Transformation
Concluding his remarks, Sinha contrasted the BJP of the past with its present-day avatar. According to him, the earlier BJP was inclusive and secular, whereas the current leadership governs by creating social and political divisions. Sibal credited Sinha for his instrumental role in strengthening India-U.S. relations, particularly during the lifting of nuclear sanctions during his tenure.
(With Inputs From OpIndia)