'Betrayal of national sentiments': Opposition slams PM's Video-Conference

New Delhi, Feb 27: Opposition leaders on Thursday lashed out at the BJP for going ahead with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to party workers through a mega video-conference amid escalating tension with Pakistan.

As part of the 'Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot' programme, Prime Minister Modi interacted with over 1 crore BJP workers and volunteers from 15,000 locations across the country in what the party claims is the "world's largest video conference".

The BJP members started showing their support by using the hashtag #MeraBoothSabseMazboot.

Congress took to Twitter and responded with #MeraJawanSabseMajboot, turning BJP's hashtag into one for IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan on Wednesday.

Former UP CM Mayawati has slammed the prime minister for "trying to serve political interest" at a time when "India is facing hostility of war and country needs firm leadership".

Irked by the video-conference, former Jammu and Kashmir CM took a dig at the prime minister and said, "PM Modi continuing with his Election campaign is the surest sign Wing Commander Abhinandan will be back in the next 24-48 hours."

In a tweet, the SP chief said, "When the entire nation is standing along with the government as an Indian rising above politics, BJP is going to make a record of contact with booth level workers. ..even the BJP supporters are ashamed of this."

"The situation could be very bad but this suited-booted BJP will continue with its festivities...condemnable," he said.

An IAF pilot was captured by Pakistan after an air combat Wednesday during which the two sides said they shot down each other's warplanes that followed an unsuccessful attempt to target Indian military installations in retaliatory strikes.