Rajasthan BJP chief Madan Rathore's 'we will stand with Pak' in case of war with US remark sparks Cong, AAP backlash

Rajasthan BJP chief Madan Rathore has faced criticism from Congress and AAP after saying India would stand with Pakistan in a hypothetical war with the US. He later said his remarks had been taken out of context and referred to cricket, not war.

Rajasthan Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Madan Rathore has triggered a political controversy after saying India would stand with Pakistan if a war broke out between Islamabad and the United States.

Rajasthan BJP chief sparks controversy with pro-Pakistan statement

His remarks drew sharp criticism from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), prompting questions over the BJP's position before Rathore issued a clarification.

Speaking at a programme in Jaipur, Rathore cited Pakistan's status as India's neighbour while discussing a hypothetical conflict between the two countries and the US.

"We all need to understand this. When it comes to India... If a war breaks out between the US and Pakistan today, we will stand with Pakistan because it is our neighbour," he said, according to footage circulated on social media.

The statement quickly became a political flashpoint, with opposition leaders accusing the BJP leader of making an irresponsible comment about India's position on Pakistan.

Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed launched a sharp attack on Rathore, describing him as "anti-national" and questioning whether the BJP leadership would take action against him.

In a post on X, Mohamed accused the BJP of displaying an affinity towards Pakistan, which she alleged was responsible for attacks on Indian soldiers and civilians. She also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over Rathore's remarks.

She wrote, "The BJP’s love for the terrorist nation Pakistan, which kills our soldiers and our people, has come on display once again. Rajasthan BJP President Madan Rathore says he is with Pakistan if the US and Pakistan go to war. Are @narendramodi and @AmitShah also with Pakistan? If not, let us know what action is being taken against this anti-national (sic)."

The AAP also shared the video and challenged the BJP's claims of nationalism.

The party questioned why people raising concerns about the government were sometimes branded as being sympathetic to Pakistan, while a senior BJP leader's comments about standing with Pakistan had prompted no immediate public response from the party's central leadership.

The criticism placed Rathore's statement at the centre of a wider political argument over nationalism and how political leaders discuss India's relationship with its neighbour.

Madan Rathore says remarks were about cricket

Rathore subsequently rejected the interpretation of his comments, saying they had been distorted and presented inappropriately.

In a clarification shared on the official X account of Rajasthan BJP, he maintained that his remarks were made in the context of an India-Pakistan cricket match, rather than a hypothetical military conflict.

Rathore said the discussion concerned patriotism and how people react when India loses to Pakistan in cricket.

He wrote, “The statement I made was in the context of the cricket match between India and Pakistan, but my statement was distorted and presented in a way that is absolutely not appropriate (sic).”

He also objected to what he described as the deliberate presentation of his words in a misleading manner.

The clarification has added another dimension to the controversy, with the Opposition continuing to use the clip to challenge the BJP's political messaging on nationalism.