‘Tribute’ To Former Pakistan Prez Pervez Musharraf At Bank Of India Meet In Kerala Ignites Huge Controversy

General Pervez Musharraf was the main architect of the Kargil infiltration.

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New Delhi: India on July 26 observed Kargil Vijay Diwas to pay respect and homage to the soldiers and officers of the armed forces who kicked out Pakistani infiltrators from the Kargil heights in 1999. It was also an occasion to celebrate the unmatched valour and gallantry of the men in uniform.

However, a day later on July 27, a controversy erupted after former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s name appeared on a list of prominent personalities set to be honoured at the Bank of India staff union state conference in Alappuzha, Kerala. It was ironical that it happened just a day after Kargil Vijay Diwas and not surprisingly, ignited major repercussion. These details are necessary to explain the events that unfolded in Alappuzha, Kerala.

The then (1999) Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf was the main architect of the audacious, foolhardy act who would go ahead to become the country’s president. He led the Kargil infiltration that brought India and Pakistan to a war in 1999.

However, the Bank of India staff union asserted that the inclusion of Musharraf’s name was a printing error. Upon realising the mistake, they promptly corrected it and proceeded with the program without any mention of the former Pakistani leader.

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a protest march to the conference venue, expressing their outrage over the initial inclusion of Musharraf’s name.

According to the program notice, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary KC Venugopal, who is the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency was scheduled to inaugurate the state conference.

However, he did not attend the event.