Cong lowering morale of security forces for petty political gains: BJP
Accusing the Congress of trying to lower the morale of security forces for "petty political gains", the BJP on Tuesday said comments by the opposition party's leaders on the Balakot air strike are part of a "conspiracy" that has the blessings of Rahul Gandhi. BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad seized on Congress leader Digvijay Singh's tweet, terming the Pulwama terror attack a "durghatna" (accident), to mount a stinging attack on the opposition party and allege that its senior leaders are speaking the language of Pakistan. The Congress, in turn, accused the BJP of politicising the armed forces and said it was spreading "false propaganda" over the February 26 air strike in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Prasad also referred to comments of Congress' former ministers Kapil Sibal and P Chidambaram to claim they do not trust the Indian Army and the Air Force. No foreign country has sought evidence of the air strike, the BJP leader said, adding that Congress leaders do not believe in Indian media reports. "It is part of a design with blessings of (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi and (UPA chairperson) Sonia Gandhi. Let the country ask them questions," the Union minister said. He also asked the Congress not to "reduce the morale, courage and prestige of our forces" for "petty extraneous political gains". Singh had tweeted earlier in the day, "Doubts are being raised in some international media following the 'air strike' after the Pulwama accident. This is also raising questions on our government's credibility." Later, trolled for referring to the February 14 attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Pulwama as an accident, Singh tweeted again, saying there should be no doubt the incident was an act of terrorism. Hitting out at the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Prasad said the Madhya Pradesh chief minister had alleged a RSS hand in the Mumbai terror attack in 2008 and also questioned the killing of suspected terrorists in an encounter in Delhi's Batla House the same year. He told reporters that leaders like Singh and Sibal are "repeat offenders". "Is this part of a conspiracy because whatever they (Congress leaders) are saying is being shown in Pakistan media. The comments of Congress spokespersons are headline news in Pakistan," Prasad said. He said Sibal never sought proof when a "rogue element" raised questions at a London press conference on Indian electoral processes but is seeking evidence of the air strike. Sibal was present at a press conference where a masked self-proclaimed cyber expert claimed electronic voting machines can be hacked, an allegation rejected by the Election Commission. Prasad also attacked Chidambaram for asking who had made the claim of 300-350 terrorists being killed in Balakot when neither the Air Force not the External Affairs ministry gave out any figure. The BJP leader said even Pakistan admitted that Indian Air Force struck inside its territory and that "there is voluminous contemporaneous evidence available that entire attack was very effective and caused extensive damage to terrorist network". Prasad cited news reports, including one that spoke about presence of many ambulances on the site in Balakot, originating from Pakistan to assert that the air strike hit terror camps. His colleague Prakash Javadekar lashed out at the Congress for "rubbishing the armed forces' claims and questioning their strength". "It does not happen in any democracy that trust is not placed in the Army. Only the Congress can commit such a sin," he said. On the day of the strike, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said a "very large number of terrorists" were killed in Balakot. On Monday, IAF chief B S Dhanoa said the Air Force does not count human casualties and it is for the government to provide details on the death toll. Though government sources said up to 350 terrorists were killed and BJP president Amit Shah put the toll at 250, there has been no official statement on the number of casualties. Prasad also attacked West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee. "Mamata ji, you are a product of struggle. What is wrong with you," he asked, saying she should not insult the martyrdom of soldiers. Asked about Shah's claim that over 250 terrorists were killed, he said the party chief would have gone by "estimation" and added that the real casualty can be even bigger. The Congress on Monday had asked what was the basis for Shah's claim and why was Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his government not giving details of casualties. Prasad, however, also claimed his party would not speculate on it and referred to the Air Force's stand that it is for the government to give out the details. Refusing to be drawn into controversy over Digvijay Singh's remarks, former defence minister and Congress leader A K Antony told reporters, "Don't politicise the armed forces. Don't bring the military in the politics. I request the BJP president, I request the prime minister don't politicise the Army. As a former defence minister, I am telling them." PTI
