New Delhi: Congress veteran and a key organiser of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Digvijaya Singh, questioned the Narendra Modi authorities’s surgical strikes in opposition to terror pods throughout the road of management, prompting the celebration’s basic secretary for communications Jairam Ramesh to attempt to management the injury — each on-line and offline.
Addressing a public assembly in Jammu & Kashmir, Singh mentioned, “They speak of surgical strikes. They declare to have killed so many individuals however no proof is given. They’re ruling by peddling a bundle of lies.”
Singh has performed this earlier than, as produce other leaders of the Congress together with Rahul Gandhi, though their feedback have solely served to generate public outrage and allegations from the Bharatiya Janata Occasion that they’re questioning the military. Expectedly, Ramesh was eager that Singh not elaborate on his feedback, and some hours after the rally, was caught on digicam pushing a TV reporter’s microphone away from Singh, and even coming between the reporter and Singh, not as soon as however thrice.
“Don’t divert,” Ramesh repeatedly mentioned, in a bid to retain the give attention to the yatra.
Additionally learn: ‘Is India a damaged nation?’ Rajnath jabs Congress, Rahul Gandhi over Bharat Jodo
Later, he additionally issued an announcement distancing the celebration from Singh’s assertion. “The views expressed by sr chief Digvijaya Singh are his personal & don’t mirror place of Congress. Surgical strikes had been carried out earlier than 2014 by UPA authorities. Congress has supported & will proceed to help all army actions which can be within the nationwide curiosity,” tweeted Ramesh.
The BJP launched a blistering assault on the Congress accusing the principal Opposition celebration for attempting to “break” the nation. “It’s primarily Bharat todo (break India) yatra”, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia mentioned.
“India won’t tolerate in the event that they converse in opposition to armed forces. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress hate PM Modi nevertheless it appears they’ve been blinded by the hate to an extent that their dedication to the nation has withered away,” Bhatia added, “Gandhi and the Congress don’t have belief in our courageous armed forces. They repeatedly increase questions and insult the residents of India and our armed forces.”
Earlier too, the BJP brass together with Prime Minister Narendra Modi had slammed the Congress for attempting to query the authenticity of the surgical strike. In November 2018, PM Modi hit out on the Congress saying, “When the military carried out the surgical strike going into the enemy territory, the entire nation felt proud however the Congress raised questions on it and demanded video proof. Will commandos carry cameras to offer proof?” His reference was to the 2016 strike following a terror assault at Uri.
Additionally learn: ‘Mamata will not do something to upset PM, no reward on Bharat Jodo’: Cong chief
In February final yr, Telangana chief minister Okay Chandrashekar Rao had mentioned, “There may be nothing mistaken with Rahul Gandhi asking for proof of the surgical strikes. I’m (additionally) asking. Let the Authorities of India present. It’s their accountability. There are apprehensions amongst folks.”
Congress leaders privately admitted that Singh’s assertion was “pointless” when the Bharat Jodo Yatra is in its final leg in J&Okay. “We’re centered on the Bharat Jodo Yatra. There isn’t any scope for elevating such points through the yatra,” mentioned a frontrunner who requested to not be named.
However the injury was performed. One other BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala quipped, “Congress ka haath Pak ke saath.”