The political war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress escalated into a poster slugfest on Tuesday, with each side attempting to link its opponent’s leadership with Pakistan’s top figures.
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s Information & Technology Department, sparked the row by sharing a digitally created poster comparing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir. The image, captioned “One Agenda”, featured the two leaders side-by-side.
“What’s next for Rahul Gandhi? The Nishan-e-Pakistan?” Malviya asked on X, insinuating a convergence of interests between Gandhi and Pakistan’s military establishment.
He further alleged, “He hasn’t congratulated the Prime Minister on the flawless Operation Sindoor, which unmistakably showcases India’s dominance. Instead, he repeatedly asks how many jets we lost—a question that has already been addressed in the DGMO briefings. Curiously, he hasn’t once inquired about how many Pakistani jets were shot down during the conflict, or how many were destroyed while parked in their hangars when Indian forces pounded Pakistani airbases.”
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The BJP’s charge was soon met with a rebuttal from the Bihar unit of the Congress.
It posted a counter-image juxtaposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The poster bore the word “Biryani” and was captioned: “Ek biryani desh par bhari” (One biryani outweighed the nation).
The visual exchange comes in the backdrop of heightened tensions over ‘Operation Sindoor’—a recent military campaign that triggered retaliatory strikes by Pakistan. The operation culminated in a ceasefire after four days of cross-border engagement.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has been vocal in criticising the government’s conduct during and after the operation. He alleged that the government failed to protect Indian interests by informing Pakistan beforehand and not disclosing losses to the public. Gandhi cited remarks made by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to support his claims, calling the government's silence on operational details “a crime”.
The debate gained further momentum following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan. Trump claimed that Washington played a mediatory role in brokering the cessation of hostilities, raising questions about India’s diplomatic posture.
Despite sharp barbs from both parties, the two posters reflect a deeper narrative of mutual suspicion and a long-standing attempt to discredit each other through associations with India’s western neighbour.