Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has sharply criticised Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chander Jangra for his controversial remarks about the widows of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, which occurred on April 22, 2025, in Jammu and Kashmir.
Jangra’s statements, made during an event in Bhiwani, Haryana, suggested that the women who lost their husbands in the attack lacked the “warrior spirit” and should have fought back against the terrorists. He reportedly said: “The women who lost their husbands lacked the warrior spirit, enthusiasm and zeal. Therefore, they became victims of the attack. Terrorists do not spare anyone because they fold their hands. Our people died with folded hands.” These comments have sparked widespread outrage, with the TMC and other Opposition parties condemning them as insensitive, misogynistic and disrespectful to the victims of the tragedy. Trinamool Congress condemned Jangra’s remarks as “disgusting” and reflective of the BJP’s “anti-women mentality.” The party, in its official X account, posted a video of Jangra’s speech, highlighting the offensive nature of his comments. The post read: “At a time when the nation is united in the fight against terror, @BJP4India leaders are busy launching vile assaults on our national pride. @BJP4MP Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah branded Col. Sofia Qureshi the ‘sister of terrorists.’ MP Deputy CM Jagdish Devda claimed our soldiers bow at the feet of PM Modi. And now, crossing every line of basic human decency, BJP’s RS MP Ram Chander Jangra has declared that the widows of the Pahalgam martyrs lacked the bravery to fight for their husbands’ lives.”
Facing mounting criticism, Jangra later issued an apology on Sunday claiming his remarks were distorted. Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah recently apologized for comments linking the Pahalgam attackers’ religion to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, prompting a Supreme Court-ordered probe.