The Congress on Friday hit out at the BJP over the “dead body takes more space” remark by its Karnataka MLA Arvind Bellad, saying cruelty is now the saffron party’s DNA, and accused the Centre of garnering publicity for evacuating Indian students from war-torn Ukraine. On March 1, a young Indian medical student, Naveen SG of Karnataka, was killed in shelling in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv when he ventured out to buy food for himself and fellow students.

“Drunk with arrogance, power has gone into the head of heartless BJP leaders, particularly from Karnataka. (Union minister) Prahlad Joshi calls children in Ukraine as those ‘who failed NEET’. Arvind Bellad has lost his balance. Insensitivity and cruelty are now BJP’s DNA,” Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted.

He also said that “one thing is clear… in the Ukraine-Russian war, there is no plan to rescue the thousands of children who have been fighting for their life for the last nine days amid heavy bombing and missile attacks”.

“Is all the focus from Ukraine to Uttar Pradesh (where assembly polls are being held) only on managing PR and saving image,” Surejwala asked in another tweet in Hindi.

The Congress leader also shared a video of Union Minister Gen (retd) V K Singh and said that “ministers of the Modi government are telling children trapped for nine days in bombs/missile attacks why they did not come out earlier when an ultimatum was issued, come after travelling a long journey and when you come out of all the danger, we will then receive you…”.

“Is he a minister of the country or a travel agent?” Surjewala asked.

Bellad, who represents Hubli-Dharwad in the Karnataka assembly, stirred up a controversy with his comment that “a dead body takes up more space in a flight”, forcing the Congress to attack the BJP. He has also said that instead of a coffin, nearly eight to 10 people can be accommodated on a plane.

Senior Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari also shared a video of students stuck in Ukraine.

“Dear PM (prime minister), listen to these children. Please speak to President (Vladimir) Putin and establish an evacuation route across the Russian frontlines. They are in clear and present danger and while Ukrainians are not holding them hostage they are clearly discriminating against Indians,” he tweeted.

The Congress has been demanding safe and early evacuation of all Indian students from war-struck Ukraine and have attacked the BJP government for not taking steps earlier to ensure earlier evacuation of Indians.