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Karnataka Congress minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday sparked a fresh controversy by claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "using" the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam "to win Bihar elections".

The remark came less than a day after the Congress party issued a gag order of sorts and advised its leaders to refrain from speaking to the media on the Pahalgam attack. However, contradicting its own directive, the party's social media handle on X posted an image of the Prime Minister, suggesting that he was missing at a time when the nation expected accountability from him.

"What Congress wanted to say was - where is Mr Modi, is he addressing the media? Is he clarifying anything? Can people ask him what has happened? Pulwama helped him in his Lok Sabha elections, Godhra helped him in his Gujarat elections, and now he is using it for Bihar elections," Karnataka minister Gundu Rao said in response to the controversy over Congress's 'Gayab' post targeting PM Modi.

"You should think of the country first. This is why the poster was put out. We want him to come and talk to the people," he added.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh sought to distance from the remarks by some of its leaders. ""Some Congress leaders have been speaking to the media. They speak for themselves and do not reflect the INC's views. There should be absolutely no doubt whatsoever at this most sensitive of times that the CWC resolution, the views expressed by Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and Shri Rahul Gandhi and the views of authorised AICC office-bearers ALONE represent the position of the INC," he added.

Earlier, Maharashtra Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar questioned the claims by the Pahalgam terror attack survivors who said that terrorists killed civilians after demanding that they reveal their religious identity.

“The government should take responsibility for the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack. They (the government) are saying that terrorists killed people after asking them (about their religion). Do terrorists have time for all this?… Some people say that this did not happen. Terrorists have no caste or religion. Catch those who are responsible and take action. This is the sentiment of the country," he said.

Another Karnataka Excise Minister RB Timmapur also said something on similar lines. "A man who is shooting, will he ask caste or religion? He will just shoot and go," Timmapur said.

The BJP, meanwhile, ripped into the Congress and accused it of being "influenced by Pakistan".

“There is a national political party that stays among us, but if we call them Lashkar-e-Pakistan Congress, it won’t be wrong. This image of PM Narendra Modi has been tweeted by the social media handle of Congress. A strong message has been given to Pakistan that in India, the supporters of Mir Jafar are present here…'Sar tan se juda' has become the ideology of Lashkar-e-Pakistan Congress today…Such posts are done on the instructions of Rahul Gandhi, which makes the country ashamed. It is an attempt of Lashkar-e-Pakistan Congress to weaken India at such a sensitive time," BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said.

BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya said the Congress leaves little doubt with its use of “Sar Tan Se Juda” imagery with its 'Gayab' post.

"This is not merely a political statement; it is a dog whistle aimed at its Muslim vote bank and a veiled incitement against the Prime Minister. It is not the first time the Congress has resorted to such tactics. Rahul Gandhi, on multiple occasions, has both instigated and justified violence toward the Prime Minister. Yet the Congress will never succeed, for the Prime Minister enjoys the love and blessings of millions of Indians," said Malviya.

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