Bhiwani, May 25: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra has stirred controversy with remarks implying that women present during the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack could have prevented their husbands’ deaths if they had shown more courage.
Speaking at a district seminar in Bhiwani on the 300th birth anniversary of Ahilya Bai Holkar, Jangra said:
“If the women present there, whose husbands were killed, had read the history of Ahilya Bai, no one could have shot their husbands in front of them. Even if they had to become martyrs themselves. They lacked enthusiasm, lacked resolve.”
The statement, made in Hindi, referenced the Baisaran Valley attack near Pahalgam, where 26 people — mostly tourists — were killed in a brutal terrorist strike.
Backlash and History of Remarks
Jangra’s comments drew sharp criticism across political and public platforms, with many calling them insensitive and disrespectful to victims and survivors of the attack.
This isn’t the first time Jangra has courted controversy; he had earlier made inflammatory remarks during the farmers’ protest, which he later retracted under pressure.
While the BJP has not issued an official statement yet, party sources indicated that the comments do not reflect the party’s views, and internal discussions are underway regarding the backlash.
Jangra has yet to offer an apology or clarification.
