The BJP has alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has avoided praising Indian pilot Smit Machar out of fear of upsetting a “vote bank”. The charge was made as Machar received widespread appreciation for his actions during an attempted hijacking.
According to the report, a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 faced an alleged hijack attempt by the co-pilot. Machar, who is from Maharashtra, intervened to stop it and was severely assaulted in the process.
Despite serious injuries, Machar is said to have ensured the safety of all 180 people on board, including 174 passengers. The incident has drawn praise from leaders including US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said the moment should be one of national pride, but claimed it also raised questions because the Congress leadership had not issued even a social media post, statement or press note about Machar. He alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s silence reflected political calculations linked to vote-bank considerations.
