Rajasthan BJP chief Madan Rathore triggered a political row on Thursday after saying at a public event that India would side with Pakistan if a war broke out between Pakistan and the United States, citing geographical proximity.
“If there is a war between America and Pakistan today, we are with Pakistan because it is our neighbour,” Rathore said. He then added that on bilateral issues between India and Pakistan, India comes first.
The remarks drew immediate criticism from Congress and AAP leaders. Congress spokesperson Shama Muhammed called the statement anti-national and asked whether Modi and Amit Shah shared the position. Congress national coordinator Sandeep Gupta said Rathore’s comments exposed what he called the BJP’s affinity for a “terrorist country.” AAP leaders shared the video of the speech on social media, with the party’s UP vice-president alleging that the BJP and Pakistan share the same ideological DNA.
The statement is striking because of the BJP’s own political positioning. The party has built much of its national security narrative around a hard line on Pakistan — from surgical strikes to the abrogation of Article 370 to rhetoric around cross-border terrorism. A state BJP chief publicly declaring solidarity with Pakistan, in any hypothetical scenario, runs directly against that identity.
Rathore’s broader point appeared to be about neighbourhood solidarity — that regional neighbours should stand together against external powers. But in a party that has used Pakistan as a rhetorical foil in virtually every national election cycle, the framing was politically tone-deaf. The BJP has not responded to the criticism or clarified whether Rathore’s remarks reflect any party position.
Source: India Today
