BJP Lashes Out on Congress and AAP for Asking Proof

October 04, 2016 15:28

After AAP and Congress questioned Central Government and demanded proof for the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian army at the Line of Control, the BJP lashed out on both the parties on Tuesday.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad held a press conference in New Delhi where he first lashed out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for asking the Central government to respond to "Pakistan's false propaganda".

Kejriwal in a video message on Monday had, in fact, praised the Narendra Modi government and the Indian Army for the surgical strikes. He had also said that "the Pakistani government was spreading lies about the surgical strikes and had then asked the government to unmask Pakistan's false propaganda like the way you (Modi) and the army taught Pakistan a lesson on the ground."

BJP clearly did not take this advice very well as Prasad said that "it was unfortunate that an Indian leader was getting influenced by Pakistan's false propaganda".

"Somewhere or the other, is there a question being raised on the probes conducted by the Indian army?" Prasad said. "A chief minister of India is getting influenced by Pakistan's false propaganda and is asking for proof for the surgical strikes," he added.

"Arvind Kejriwal Ji, I hope you know that you are in the headlines of Pakistani media today," Prasad further said.

Prasad's remark came after Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune published a report titled "Delhi CM 'questions' authenticity of India’s ‘surgical strikes’ in Pakistan".

"Indian leaders are questioning the surgical strikes. There can be nothing more unfortunate," Prasad further said.

"In matters of national security, one should not raise frivolous questions just because of political rivalry. No question should be raised which will affect the morale of the Indian army," the Union minister said. "Politics has its own place. Please do not do or say anything which insults the Indian Army," he added.

"All the member nations of Saarc have isolated Pakistan and stand with India today. No country has criticized the surgical strikes done by the Indian army. Today, Pakistan stands completely isolated diplomatically, strategically and also in terms of international relations. There is an online campaign in the US to declare Pakistan a terror state," Prasad said.

"But Arvind Kejriwal Ji gets influenced by the Pakistani media," he said.

"Please don't belittle the great leadership, courage, and sacrifice of the Indian army," the BJP leader added. "It is up to the government to give proof of surgical strikes."

Prasad even targeted Congress leader P Chidambaram for asking the Modi government to provide proof for the surgical strikes.

"Chidambaram has earlier been the home and finance minister of the country. But what is the message he is sending? Is he also joining the bandwagon of creating doubts and seeking to belittle our armed forces?" Prasad said.

"Sonia Gandhi should say whether Chidambaram's comment seeking proof of surgical strikes represents the official Congress line," he said. "If it is Congress's official line, then an answer will be given. If not, I ask Sonia Gandhi to prevent her party leaders from making such statements."

Prasad also said that "even Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had praised Modi for the surgical strikes. We have also seen the statement of Rahul Gandhi openly praising Prime Minister Modi for the first time. It is not just Chidambaram from the Congress, though, who has questioned the surgical strikes. Another Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam went to the extent of suggesting that the strikes were fake".