Pakistan former PM Pervez Musharraf’s name appears for tribute at Kerala event; sparks protest. Here’s what happened

The controversy in Kerala, where former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's name mistakenly appeared on a tribute list at a Bank of India staff union's state conference, has sparked significant reactions. The union quickly corrected the error and proceeded with the program excluding Musharraf's name. However, the mistake led to a protest by the BJP and the party later organized a march to the conference venue in Alappuzha to express their discontent.

This event coincides with the 25th anniversary of India's triumph in the Kargil War.

As per the program notice, AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal MP was meant to open the state conference; however, he was absent from the event.

Pakistan rejects PM Modi’s Kargil Vijay Diwas speech

Pakistan on Friday rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks at an event at Drass in Ladakh as “rhetorical statements” and said it cannot deflect international attention from India’s efforts to suppress the Kashmiri people.

India hailed the valour of its soldiers in the Kargil conflict 25 years ago with Prime Minister Modi issuing a stern message to Pakistan, saying it has been trying to stay relevant by using terrorism and proxy wars but all such terror attempts will be crushed with full force.

Modi was addressing a ceremony held at the Kargil War Memorial in Dras in Ladakh to mark the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the "rhetorical statements by the Indian leaders cannot deflect international attention from India’s heavy-handed approach to suppress the Kashmiri people’s just struggle for realisation of their fundamental rights and freedoms.”

“Bravado and jingoism undermine regional peace, and are totally counter-productive for resolution of long-standing disputes between Pakistan and India, especially the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir,” the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.

India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment that is free of terror and hostility for such an engagement.