lashing out at the Congress after it described the Pathankot terror attack as a “grave security lapse”, the BJP on Wednesday said the security operation at the airbase was the “most successful” as it drew the Opposition party’s attention to the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought time-bound and serious action from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The party said unlike this time round, the 2008 Mumbai attacks during the UPA rule witnessed killing of over 164 people despite “intelligence inputs” about its likelihood.
Hitting back at the Congress after it questioned the Prime Minister’s Pakistan policy, BJP’s national secretary Srikant Sharma said Modi “conveyed the nation’s anger” to his Pakistani counterpart when the latter called him up following the attack. Sharma reminded the Congress that there was no such response from Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks.
“Modi has sought time-bound and serious action from Pakistan. Sharif assured him of cooperation. There was no response from Pakistan following 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai. The operation in Pathankot was most successful exercise against a fidayeen strike.
“Congress has made a reference to Mumbai attacks. So many people were killed then despite available intelligence inputs about the terror strike. It has no moral right to question the Government,” said Sharma.
He added those who are “responsible” for the problem of terrorism should not question Modi as he was working overtime to root out the issue.
The Congress’ charges only show its mental bankruptcy, he said. In Pathankot, terrorists were confined to an outer ring and could not harm the assets of Air Force, he maintained.
The BJP leader said the Opposition party practised “vote bank politics” over the issue. He also noted that Congress leaders had questioned the veracity of Batla House encounter.