Blasts Kejriwal. ANI
Vibha SharmaTribune News ServiceNew Delhi, October 4
The BJP on Tuesday slammed Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leaders for “creating doubts” in the minds of people about the capabilities of the Indian Army.Addressing a press conference here, Union minister Ravi Shakar Prasad asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to clarify if she stood by the statements issued by her party leaders like P Chidambaram.
He said Kejriwal had made headlines in Pakistan and was doing a great disservice to the country by questioning the recent surgical strikes.The chief minister of an Indian state had cast aspersions on the integrity of the army and damaged its morale, he claimed.Prasad asked the AAP and Congress not to demoralise the Army.
BJP Slams Cong leaders too for doubting Army’s efficiency
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 4
The BJP today hit back at AAP and the Congress for questioning the authenticity of surgical strikes by the Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).The ruling party, which asked senior minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to corner Opposition leaders asking the Modi government to “provide proof” of the strikes, questioned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal whether he knew that he made the headlines in Pakistan newspapers with “his painful and unfortunate remarks”.The saffron party also targeted Congress leaders P Chidambaram and Sanjay Nirupam over their comments on the issue. Prasad asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to clarify if Chidambaram’s views were a reflection of her party’s opinion on the Army.To Kejriwal, he said, “At a time when the whole nation is speaking in one voice, the Chief Minister of an Indian state has said something that has given Pakistani media and people a chance to question the Army action. There cannot be more painful and unfortunate thing.”“The Delhi CM should answer whether he believes in the Army or not? Politics is different, but nothing should be said that demoralises our Army and makes it feel humiliated,” the BJP leader said. “It was most painful and unfortunate that the AAP leader was in Pakistani media headlines today as his remarks yesterday gave it a chance to question the Army’s claim. If Pakistani media is saying something, why the CM of an Indian state is being influenced and seeking proof,” he said. He said while India has been “successful in isolating Pakistan politically and diplomatically, but Kejriwal is being guided by Pakistani media reports”.Sources in the government said India would provide proof, but at a place and time of its choice.Why BJP is scared…I have supported the PM, applauded the Army. Pakistan is spreading the propaganda across the world and international media is running this that surgical strike did not take place. I had only appealed to the PM that a befitting reply should be given to Pakistan. If I said that we have to counter Pakistan’s false propaganda then why is the BJP so rattled and scared? — Arvind Kejriwal, delhi cm
Govt under pressure to release proof of surgical strikes
Simran Sodhi
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 4
Pressure is being gradually built on the government to release proof of surgical strikes conducted across the Line of Control (LoC). It is not just Opposition parties here that are demanding the government to release some proof to authenticate its claims, some international media houses are also acting sceptical.Starting with Pakistan, which has denied from the get go that India conducted these strikes, The Washington Post has reported from the ground that residents of the Bhimber, Chamb and Sahma districts adjoining the LoC have denied seeing any people or movement across the LoC.In another story run by The New York Times from Kashmir, residents of the Mandhole village are also quoted as being doubtful of the surgical strikes with some villagers openly claiming that Indian soldiers never crossed the LoC and there was only cross-border fire exchange.Even the reports carried by CNN and Al Jazeera are not very favourable to India’s position. The BBC is one of the media houses whose reporters the Pakistan army had taken to the LoC to show that the Indian claims of a surgical strike were false and the BBC report from the Pakistani side of the LoC seems to belie the Indian claims.The fact that the Pakistan army took local and foreign media to Baghsar and Tatta Pani, two of the areas where India claims to have hit in a surgical strike, and apparently showed them proof to the contrary should be a worrisome fact for India.For India, international credibility is important and though Pakistan’s doubts are always easy to dismiss as being mere hitting back at India, the reports of credible international media houses will be harder to ignore.Most Opposition parties in India, including AAP and some factions of the Congress, are also demanding some evidence of surgical strikes by India. The government is soon likely to face a situation where it will have to release some evidence to back its claims.The good part for India is that most nations of the world have not criticised it for conducting these strikes with many even terming them as counter-terror operations. So the goodwill of the international community stays with India, but as questions are raised about the authenticity of the claims, it might be a good idea to put out evidence quickly and end the debate.