The Congress on Wednesday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar tender public apology for misleading the nation and insulting the Army in a series of statements following the surgical strikes last month. The Congress also criticised BJP chief Amit Shah for publicly stating that surgical strikes will be their key electoral strategy.
While it sought apology from Modi for politicising the job done by country’s Defence forces, it asked Parrikar to do the same for denying that any surgical strike was carried out during the UPA’s tenure.
“Converting national security into an event management exercise to polish the image of the PM is extremely unfortunate. If Army deserves full credit for the recent surgical strikes, why are ‘avengers of Uri’ posters depicting Modiji as lord Rama being plastered in poll-bound StatesIJ” said Congress chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala at AICC briefing.
The Congress also called Parrikar’s remarks “misleading” and said by rejecting the claim that such strikes had taken place in the past, the Defence Minister had “undermined” the sacrifices made by the Army.
Earlier, hitting out at the Defence Minister in a series of tweets, Surjewala said Parrikar is indulging in “ultimate political hypocrisy”. The Congress said surgical strikes happened in 1947, 62, 65 and 72.
“Mr Parrikar, Indian Army deserves all credit but why mislead the people and undermine Army’s sacrifices by denying earlier surgical strikesIJ Operation Ginger in 2011 was a large-scale surgical strike. Why is Manohar Parrikar quiet on Army’s valourIJ Is (it) not blatant politicisationIJ” asked Surjewala.
“The ultimate political hypocrisy; post surgical strike, Modi Sarkar cut disability pensions for ‘combat injury’ to half. Is Modi Govt giving credit to Army by denying OROP, Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, by refusing to acknowledge and honour commitmentsIJ” he asked.
Surjewala also said that while Parrikar credits the Army for the surgical strikes, “no wonder he got himself felicitated in Agra, lucknow and Goa instead of our brave Army.”
Surjewala also targeted Amit Shah over his remarks that it was for the first time in 68 years that the Indian Army had crossed the loC to mount an assault on the enemy forces.