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Congress hints Taliban links in Poonch attack: ‘Is it proper for Modi govt to…’
Congress's Pawan Khera alleged that the Modi government has put India's national security at risk.
The Congress on Thursday questioned the alleged silence of the Narendra Modi government on the Poonch terror attack in which five Indian Army soldiers were killed in action and another was severely injured. Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said seven days have passed and still Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not “uttered a single word” of condolence for the fallen soldiers, instead was seen cracking a joke about a ‘suicide note’ at a media event.
"PM Modi has not come out with any reaction condemning the terror attack, even as reports indicate a Taliban link in the same," Khera told a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.
Five soldiers were killed and one injured after the terrorists attacked the Army truck in the dense forest area of Bhata Dhurian last Thursday afternoon. Banned terror group People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), an offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), has claimed responsibility for the attack but reports suggest the involvement of proscribed terror group Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) as well.
Experts from various agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), visited the site of the attack to get a clear picture of the deadly ambush. It is believed that the terrorists used a sniper to target the vehicle from the front before their associates showered bullets and lobbed grenades at the vehicle from opposite sides. The terrorists used steel core bullets that can penetrate an armoured shield, according to officials.
Citing media reports, Khera claimed that the steel bullets were obtained by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) from the Taliban.
"The Chinese-made ‘steel core’ bullets capable of piercing an armoured shield, were used by NATO forces during the Afghanistan war and these bullets are part of ammunitions NATO forces have abandoned after leaving Afghanistan," Khera said.
"Interestingly, the latest report by US' SIGAR (Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction), released on February 28, says, 'Taliban could sell a portion of the captured arms and equipment to augment its revenue flow. Alternatively, the Taliban may not have control over the entire Afghan National Security Forces (ANDSF) arsenal, which could mean that equipment could be acquired by smugglers or gun dealers and sold on the open market," he said.
"In this context, it is important to note that, belying India's previous foreign policy stances, the Modi government has started engaging with the Taliban. In 2023 Budget, the Modi government announced a ₹200 crore aid for Afghanistan," he said.
The Congress leader asked why is the Modi government "silent" on the Poonch terror attack.
"Given that the Poonch attack has Taliban links, is it appropriate for Modi government to start its diplomatic outreach and engagement with Taliban?" Khera said.
