Robert Vadra's controversial take on Pahalgam terror attack: ‘Muslims are feeling weakened in India’

Businessman Robert Vadra has sparked a controversy by linking the deadly Pahalgam terror attack with what he calls ‘weakening’ conditions of Muslims in the country.

Vadra, husband of a senior Congress leader, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, said the attack was the result of the divide that has come about in India between different communities.

“I feel terrible and my deepest condolences are for the people who have died in this terrorist act,” Vadra told news agency ANI, a day after at least 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed by gunmen in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

“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?” Vadra asked

The attack is a chilling reminder of the Chittisinghpura massacre in which 36 Sikhs were killed by terrorists in Chittisinghpura village of Anantnag district on March 20, 2000. The attack was carried out on the eve of the then US president Bill Clinton's state visit to India from March 21 to March 25.

“Because there's a divide that has come about in our country with Hindus and Muslims...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. The minorities are feeling weakened,” Vadra said.

Tuesday's attack was carried out in the fabled Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam on a day when United States Vice President JD Vance was in India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a state visit to Saudi Arabia.