The Gujarat Congress has alleged that two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporators posted insensitive comments on social media, making light of the Indian Armed Forces&rsquo; operations under Operation Sindoor, which targets terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
The corporators&mdash;Chetan Sureja from Ward 10 in Rajkot and Chhaya Kharadi from Ward 3 in Vadodara&mdash;shared posts suggesting that the intensity of India&rsquo;s military response was linked to the number of seats the BJP secured in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.&nbsp;
Their post read, &ldquo;You can get to see only this much war in 240 seats. If you want to see the full war then you should give 400 seats,&rdquo; and included an emoji.
The comments quickly gained traction on social media and attracted sharp criticism from various quarters. Both corporators later removed the posts and issued apologies.&nbsp;
Addressing a press briefing on Tuesday, Ahmedabad City Congress Committee President Himmatsinh Patel criticised the corporators and demanded legal action. &ldquo;At a time when all Members of Parliament, all parties, all communities, all castes, and all regions are united in praising the Indian Army's strong military action in response to the barbaric terrorist attacks on innocent civilians in Poonch, it is extremely irresponsible for elected BJP corporators to post on social media saying, &lsquo;Is this all the war we get with 240 seats?&rsquo; Yet, no action has been taken against them,&rdquo; he said.
Patel questioned the seriousness of BJP leaders during an active military conflict. &ldquo;While the Indian Army is risking their lives and fighting a war, how appropriate is it for BJP corporators to mock and make jokes on social media? At a time when the Indian Army is giving a tough response to enemy nations and terrorists at the border, BJP corporators are in a playful mood&mdash;which is a serious matter,&rdquo; he remarked.
He further added, &ldquo;While the entire country is praising the unprecedented bravery and heroism of the Indian Army, Rajkot BJP corporator Chetan Sureja irresponsibly states, &lsquo;I posted it just for fun.&rsquo; In a war-like situation, if a leader feels like joking and making light of it, that is indeed a grave issue. One after another, BJP leaders are joining in this so-called 'fun.'&rdquo;
Patel stressed the responsibility that comes with public office, stating, &ldquo;Anyone in public life and holding a constitutional position must think carefully before posting anything. This entire matter is related to national security and the Indian Army. The Army fights and wins a war, and it becomes a topic for political point-scoring? Are we now to believe that the scale of war will depend on how many seats one wins?&rdquo;
He also referred to a recent post by another BJP corporator that said, &ldquo;No rush, relax and enjoy&hellip; the bravery of a powerful Indian Army,&rdquo; noting that it sparked internal debates within the BJP over whether war should be trivialised in such a manner.
Patel reiterated Congress&rsquo;s demand for strict legal action, saying, &ldquo;In response to this insult to the Indian Army, the Congress party is demanding that a criminal case of sedition be filed against the BJP corporators.&rdquo;
He also spoke more broadly about the political climate, stating, &ldquo;In the entire nation, a very serious issue is getting discussed and that's related to the Pahalgam terror attack. Entire opposition is supporting the Modi government in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and other legislative assemblies. We believe in the Congress that the nation is first. And we are united in this. The concern is that when Indian Armed Forces are conducting strikes under Operation Sindoor and the entire nation is supporting them, some corporators and leaders of BJP are making shameful comments on social media like if people elect BJP with 240 seats, this is what you get. At this difficult hour, the entire nation is together and united. I urge that BJP should avoid such low-level politics.&rdquo;
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Dr Manish Doshi also voiced criticism, accusing the BJP of politicising the military response for electoral advantage. &ldquo;In the name of Indian Armed Forces and their pride, BJP is using them and playing with their electoral gains. BJP's fake side has surfaced during this crisis,&rdquo; he said.
Doshi alleged that BJP had instructed corporators to participate in a Tiranga Yatra, which he claimed was being conducted forcibly. &ldquo;Home guards and other officials will be disguised as common people to show that yatra is successful,&rdquo; he claimed.&nbsp;
&ldquo;But this is not how it&rsquo;s done. You are politicising the whole issue.&rdquo;
BJP&rsquo;s state leadership responded by distancing the party from the remarks. Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yagnesh Dave told a section of the party, &ldquo;The party has made it clear that it has nothing to do with the posts by the corporators. The post was followed by an emoji and it was a kind of a satire.&rdquo;&nbsp;
He added that the party did not endorse the content and had directed members to be more cautious with online statements. Dave also confirmed that the party would soon issue national-level guidelines for its members on social media conduct.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Police have registered FIRs against 14 individuals for objectionable posts related to Operation Sindoor.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

(Left) Himmatsinh Patel and Dr Manish Doshi (Right)

Congress accuses BJP corporators of mocking Operation Sindoor on social media, demanding legal action

Gujarat BJP Faces Heat Over Social Media Posts

Congress accuses BJP corporators of mocking Operation Sindoor on social media, demanding legal action

May 13, 2025 | 19:23 IST