The Congress on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre for not having a full-time Defence Minister and also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his silence on the mutilation of two Indian soldiers in Jammu & Kashmir’s Krishna Ghati sector. It said terror attacks, ceasefire violations and all have increased in the Modi regime compared to the UPA’s tenure.
Former Defence Minister AK Antony said the number of incidents of mutilation of Indian soldiers has increased since Modi regime took over in 2014.
“During my time in eight years, it happened only once but in last three years it has already happened thrice,” Antony said also suggesting the Government must give “free hand” to Army to handle the situation in Kashmir in its own way.
Former HRD Minister Kapil Sibal alleged the Centre had no concrete policy vis-a-vis Pakistan. “During the UPA Government, a woman MP (Smriti Irani) had then asked if bangles should be sent to Manmohan Singh. That MP, who is now a Minister, will she send bangles to Narendra ModiIJ” Sibal said at AICC briefing.
He said Irani had made this statement at a public rally in Indore in 2013 after BAT had then killed and mutilated the body of lance Naik Hemraj. lance Naik Sudhakar Singh was also beheaded, while Constable Rajinder Singh of BSF suffered injuries in the attack.
Ridiculing the Prime Minister, Sibal said, “What kind of a Prime Minister and what kind of a Government is this when it knows that Pakistan will not mend its waysIJ They call the ISI to Pathankot. They go to Pakistan to spend someone’s birthday when that country has nothing but hate for India. PM should understand that he should have no expectations from Pakistan and there is no need for hugs and celebrating birthdays.”
Sibal accused the Modi Government of spending more time in election campaigning than thinking about the country’s borders.”So, remove your bangles and show what you can do,” the Congress leader said.
Sibal also attacked the Government for not appointing a full-time Defence Minister. “There will be a full-time strategy only when the country would have a full-time Defence Minister.” Arun Jaitley is heading both the Defence and Finance Ministries.
“The irony of this situation is that, India does not have a full-time Defence Minister and he does not seem serious after all that has happened in the country,” AICC spokesman Manish Tewari said.