Don’t belittle army: BJP slams Kejriwal’s demand for proof of surgical strikes

The BJP attacked the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress on Tuesday, accusing the opposition parties of lowering the army’s morale by raising doubts about strikes against militant bases across the Line of Control last week.

The BJP attacked the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress on Tuesday, accusing the opposition parties of lowering the army’s morale by raising doubts about strikes against militant bases across the Line of Control last week.

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad talks to HT during an interview at his office in New Delhi on Tuesday.(Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

In a press conference, senior minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, who had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi a day ago to “expose” Pakistan by releasing proof of the “surgical strikes”.

“Under the garb of demanding proof, please don’t belittle the courage and sacrifice of the armed forces,” Prasad told reporters.

Kejriwal had stirred controversy on Monday when he praised Modi for the strikes but asked the PM to release proof of the operation and “expose” Islamabad, which has flatly denied that any Indian Army operation took place across the LoC.

A number of Pakistani newspapers reported the AAP chief’s comments.

Prasad critcised the AAP chief for this, saying Kejriwal’s demands were wrong at a time when the government had isolated Pakistan in all international fora, including the upcoming Saarc summit in Islamabad, which was forced to defer the event after India and several other countries pulled out.

“I want to ask Arvind Kejriwal whether he believes in the extraordinary valour of our Army or not in conducting surgical strikes. If yes, then why are you getting influenced by the false propaganda of Pakistan?” the minister was quoted as saying by ANI.

Prasad also hit out at former home minister P Chidambaram, who had demanded proof of the army strikes and said the previous UPA government also hit militant bases in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir three years ago but didn’t publicise it.

“Is Chidambaram joining the bandwagon of people of creating a doubt about the strike and belittling the armed forces,” Prasad asked. He urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to clarify whether Chidambaram’s comments reflected the official line of the party.

Prasad’s offensive irked the AAP, which responded by alleging that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre was using the strike to play politics and attack Kejriwal.