Top Opposition leaders on Wednesday reviewed the security situation in the country and expressed anguish over “blatant politicisation of sacrifices of Armed forces by the ruling party”. In a joint statement they said national security must transcend narrow political consideration and regretted that the Prime Minister has not convened all-party meeting as per established practice.
Further with Pakistan claiming that it has captured the missing pilot of a downed IAF plane, leaders of various parties expressed concern over the well-being of the officer and voiced hope that he will return soon. In a joint statement, leaders of 21 parties who met here condemned the Pakistani “misadventure” and expressed their “deep concern for the safety of our missing pilot”.
Post the statement from the MEA regarding targeting of our military installations and loss of one fighter aircraft, the leaders condemned the Pakistani misadventure and expressed their deep concern for the safety of our missing pilot,” Rahul Gandhi said while reading out the statement.
In a joint statement, the Opposition leaders said, “Anguished over blatant politicisation of sacrifices of armed forces by ruling party. Urge Government to take nations into confidence on all measures to protect India’s sovereignty, unity, integrity. National security must transcend narrow political consideration.”
Early in the day National Conference leader Omar Abdullah who is also in the Opposition umbrella urged the Opposition parties to put off their meeting in the national Capital.
The parties also condemned the “dastardly” Pulwama terror attack by “Pakistan-sponsored” terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14. The leaders paid homage to the soldiers killed in the attack and expressed solidarity with the Armed Forces.
Taking to Twitter, the leaders said their thoughts are with the family and friends of the pilot and the whole country is standing with them. “I’m sorry to hear that one of our brave IAF pilots is missing. I hope he will return home soon, unharmed. We stand by our armed forces in these difficult times,” Congress president Rahul Gandhi said. DMK leader MK Stalin urged the Centre “to do everything necessary to get him safely back home at the earliest”.
Omar Abdullah said Pakistan should treat the pilot “as you would have us treat one of your men in uniform should he be unfortunate enough to be captured on this side of the border”, while AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said Islamabad must respect its obligations under the Geneva Conventions and treat him humanely.
Abdullah also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi “must suspend his political activities until the pilot is returned safely and that he had suggested the Opposition parties to also put off their meeting in Delhi.
“It can’t be business as usual with him criss-crossing the country at tax-payer expense making political speeches while our pilot is a Pakistani captive,” Abdullah said in a series of tweets.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress leaders AK Antony, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ahmed Patel; Sharad Pawar (NCP); Chandrababu Naidu (TDP); Mamata Banerjee (TMC); Sharad Yadav (LJD); T Shiva (DMK); Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M); Satish Chandra Misra (BSP); Manoj Jha (RJD); Sanjay Singh (AAP); Sudhakar Reddy (CPI); Danish Ali (JD-S); Shibu Soren(JMM); Upendra Kushwaha (RLSP); Ashok Kumar Singh (JVM); Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM); Kodandaram (TJS) among others participated in the meeting. The Samajwadi Party did not attend the meeting.
The Opposition decided to drop the formulation of the common minimum programme as the agenda for their meeting on Wednesday in view of the prevailing security situation in the country. Senior leaders in the Opposition confirmed that in a discussion with the Congress, the CPI(M) and the CPI said that they will only be part of the meeting if the common minimum programme is off the table.