Charging that the ruling BJP was trying to politicise the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army along the line of Control (loC) last week, Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam on Tuesday justified his controversial “fake” analogy tweet, by saying that till such time “substantial proof” was not provided by the Government, doubts would persist about the authenticity of the “surgical strikes”.
Hours after he created a major stir in the national political circles through a tweet questioning the authenticity of the “surgical strikes” carried out by the Indian Army on the terrorists’ bases in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), Nirupam said that the Indian Government should at least provide “some kind of an evidence” about the surgical strikes” at this point of time.
“A small country like Pakistan is raising questions about the military action undertaken by a powerful country like India. The Government is not saying anything. It all started with Pakistan which denied the surgical strikes out of fear. But, slowly but steadily even international agencies and media are raising questions about the surgical strikes. It is now time for the Indian Government to clarify matters. It is for the Government to decide from the security point of view as to how it should reveal them. But, some sort of evidence has to be provided by the Government at this point of time,” Nirupam said.
Nirupam -- whose controversial tweet "Every Indian wants #Surgical Strikes Against Pak but not a fake one to extract just political benefit by #BJP," had come in for severe flak from the ruling party earlier in the day –- accused the ruling BJP of trying to derive political mileage out of the “surgical strikes” and the sacrifices made by the Indian soldiers who were killed in the Pak-sponsored terror attacks.
Asked specifically as to why he doubting the announcement made by the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) about the surgical strikes undertaken by the Indian Army on terror camps in PoK, Nirupam said: “Even in the past, the Indian Army had carried surgical strikes in PoK. But, at no point in time, DGMO had made an announcement about the strikes at a press conference. My question is: who asked the DGMO to convene a press conference to make an announcement about the surgical strikesIJ Who were those political leaders who wanted DGMO to make an announcement at a press conference so that political mileage could be derived out of it”.
“After Uri attack, the Government was under immense pressure from various quarters to give fitting reply to Pakistan. After responding militarily to the Uri attack, Government should have kept quiet. But, the ruling BJP used DGMO to make an announcement about the surgical strikes with a clear intention of deriving political mileage out,” Nirupam alleged.
Elaborating on his controversial tweet, Nirupam said: “In continuation of my tweet, I would like to say that every Indian wants that our Army carry out surgical strikes terror bases in PoK. After an announcement was made last week about the surgical strikes, all political parties announced their support to the Indian government. Both my party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi announced their support to the Government and said that the Congress would stand by the Government in its military actions against Pakistan”.
“But, we are worried about two things that happened during the past one week. First thing: India had undertaken similar surgical strikes in the past. But, at no point in time, the Government of the day politicised the military action. During the UPA tenure, we carried out three surgical strikes. But, the Congress never tried to derive political mileage out of the surgical strikes. We never put up banners. But, the BJP is politicizing the issue by putting up banners with its poll symbol, in various parts of the country,” Nirupam said.
Alluding to reports about the felicitation planned by the Goa BJP for Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for the “surgical strikes” carried out by the Indian Army, the Mumbai Congress chief said: “I have heard that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is being accorded public felicitation by the BJP for the “surgical strikes”. looking at all this, I am of the opinion that surgical strikes should not be politicised. ..I felt that Pakistan raising questions about the authenticity of the surgical strikes would affect our efforts to isolate our neighbouring at international fora. It is rather unfortunate that the Indian government is keeping quiet over Pakistan’s campaign seeking to question the veracity of the surgical strikes. And the ruling BJP is carrying out political campaign over the issue. That’s why I chose to put out a tweet in the morning”.
“I do not know much about the claims being made by the Government about the authenticity of surgical strikes. As far as I am concerned, the surgical strikes will remain fake till such time that the Indian government does not come out with evidence,” he said.
Asked as to why he was casting aspersions on the Indian Army, Nirupam said: “I am proud of the Indian Army and its capabilities. It is not just me all Indian are proud of our Army and its capabilities. At a time when the Indian soldiers laying down their lives, the ruling BJP is trying to derive political mileage out of the sacrifices made by the Indian Army. That’s why I am angry. Today, I am angry but tomorrow entire country will be angry”.