As the debate over India’s February 26 air strikes inPakistan rages on in the country, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Mondayasked the Centre to avoid “opposition-bashing” and convince the worldon its stand.
Chidambaram said he was prepared to “believe thegovernment” as a “proud citizen”, but the Centre has to”make efforts for the world to also believe” its stand.
He recalled party chief Rahul Gandhi was the first to laudthe Indian Air Force after the strikes.
Chidambaram faced sharp rebuke from Union Minister PiyushGoyal for his comments, with the senior BJP leader charging the Congress withbelieving in “Pakistan propaganda,” but not the Indian armedforces.”As a proud citizen, I am prepared to believe my government. But ifwe want the world to believe, the government must make the effort (to explain),not indulge in Opposition-bashing,” Chidambaram said in a tweet.
Chidambaram’s response came a day after Prime MinisterNarendra Modi slammed the opposition for doubting the IAF air strikes in Pakistanamidst a debate in the country over the casualty inflicted by the IAF.
Incidentally, onMonday, IAF Chief BS Dhanoa said the figure on casualty will be given by thegovernment, even as Union Minister SS Ahluwalia had said the purpose of thestrike was not to cause human casualty but to send out the message that Indiais capable of hitting deep inside enemy lines.
Neither Modi nor any government spokesperson had given anyfigure on casualty of air strikes. Rather, it was the Indian media and social mediawhere the unconfirmed figures of terrorists killed were being circulated, hehad said.
Last Tuesday’s air strikes were seen as retaliation to theFebruary 14 attack on CRPF jawans in Pulwama in Kashmir, in which 40 personnelwere killed.
At a political rally in Patna on Sunday, Modi had said theopposition parties were speaking a language that “suits” Pakistan.
“Leaders of the neighbouring country are using it as ashield to protect themselves against the charge of promoting terrorism. Theyare clapping gleefully,” the PM had said.
On Monday, without taking any names, in another tweet,Chidambaram said, “IAF Vice Air Marshal declined to comment oncasualties.”
“The MEA statement said there were no civilian ormilitary casualties. So, who put out the number of casualties at 300-350,”he asked.
Goyal responded sharply to Chidambaram’s attack, saying itwas “condemnable and shameful.” “It is an insult to the Air Force, an insult for our jawans who arewilling to lay down their lives to protect the country,” he told reportersat Tuticorin.
“..And this shows Congress party believes in Pakistanpropaganda and not in our own armed forces and what our Army, Navy and Airforce,” he said.