New Delhi, October 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday criticised the Congress leadership over its alleged silence on Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who reportedly saved more than 170 lives aboard a flydubai flight despite being attacked by his co-pilot. The BJP accused the Gandhi family of showing selective concern over issues related to terrorism and national security.
Addressing a press conference, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi questioned why senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, had not publicly commented on the incident.
Trivedi referred to the recent incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073, which was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after the pilot was allegedly attacked by his co-pilot. Captain Machchhar reportedly sustained serious injuries while helping avert a major in-flight crisis.
“Not a single word, social media post or press statement has come from the first family of Congress for Captain Smit,” Trivedi said, alleging that the party had demonstrated a lack of compassion for the pilot. He also referred to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s previous expressions of support for Palestine and Rahul Gandhi’s social media posts on Gaza, questioning their response to the incident.
Describing the issue as a clash between two ideologies, Trivedi accused the Congress of being soft on individuals and groups he linked to terrorism. He cited past controversies involving Zakir Naik, Afzal Guru, Burhan Wani, Yakub Memon and the Batla House encounter, and demanded an explanation from the Congress leadership over its response to Captain Machchhar’s actions.
The BJP MP also criticised the Congress over its recent organisational appointments in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, particularly the appointment of Imran Masood as the party’s working president. Trivedi referred to Masood’s controversial remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign and questioned the Congress leadership’s decision to elevate him.
He also raised objections to the appointment of Aradhana Misra as the new Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, citing a video that he claimed showed her stopping party workers from raising the slogan “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”
Trivedi further alleged that differences between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party had surfaced ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, claiming that the parties were facing internal tensions within their alliance.
The Congress had not responded to the BJP’s allegations at the time of the press conference.
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