Mumbai/Nagpur: Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam today raised doubt over the veracity of the Army’s surgical strikes along the LoC suggesting it was “fake” even as as he accused BJP of indulging in politics over national interest.
“Every Indian wants surgical strikes against Pakistan but not a fake one to extract just political benefit by BJP. politics over national interest(sic),” Nirupam tweeted.
Every Indian wants #SurgicalStrikesAgainstPak but not a fake one to extract just political benefit by #BJP.
Politics over national interest pic.twitter.com/4KN6iDqDo5— Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) October 4, 2016
Later talking to reporters, Nirupam said it is upto the government to prove the surgical strikes did take place. He said his party was of the view that Pakistan should be punished.
“The way BJP was indulging in politics, putting up banners and taking credit gives a view whether such strikes did happen. In Goa, the Defence Minister (Manohar Parrikar) is being publicly felicitated. Why were earlier surgical strikes not announced in a press conference? Why was a press conference done now (by DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh)?. Was there any pressure from the government?” he asked.
Army conducted surgical strikes on seven terror launch pads along the LoC on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, inflicting “significant casualties” on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from PoK.
The next morning, the DGMO had given this information to the media in a press conference. Pakistan, however, has been dismissing the claim as “fabrication of truth” and said India was creating “media hype” by re-branding cross-border fire as surgical strikes.
