Amid the political slugfest over India’s surgical strikes in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked his ministerial colleagues and BJP leaders to refrain from chest-thumping and let the Army do the talking.
He said only those authorised to make public statements, including the Indian Army, must speak on the issue, informed sources said. The directive was issued by the PM during the Cabinet meeting today.
The Prime Minister's advice comes amid criticism of the government by political parties for taking "mileage" and trying to politicise the strikes carried out by the Army on the night intervening September 28-29 to destroy terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control in Pakistan-held Kashmir.
The PM has barred his ministers from making any comment on the issue noting that he does not want to send a message across that the government or the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is reaping any political benefits of the Indian Army’s action.
All political parties seemed to unitedly supporting the army’s action against the terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) but have now “sought proof” to counter Pakistan’s propaganda which has sought to discredit India’s claims.
On Monday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal released a video message "saluting" Prime Minister over surgical strikes along the LoC and urging him to "unmask" Pakistan's propaganda by presenting evidence.
Yesterday, Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam termed the surgical strikes on terror launch pads as “fake”.
"Every Indian wants surgical strikes against Pakistan but not a fake one to extract just political benefit by BJP. politics over national interest(sic)," Nirupam tweeted, kicking up a row over the emotive issue.
The Congress leader went on to demand "some evidence" to prove the surgical strikes did take place and accused the Centre's ruling BJP of indulging in politics over the issue.
With patriotic sentiments running high amid soaring tensions with Pakistan, Union Minister Uma Bharti said leaders who cast "doubt over the army's surgical strike should take Pakistani citizenship".
"Those leaders who say that if Pakistan is demanding evidence about surgical strike, they should be given the evidence, such people should take the citizenship of Pakistan," Bharti told reporters in Pune.
Congress, however, dissociated itself from Nirupam’s comments but demanded that the evidence be made public to “expose Pakistan's malicious propaganda”.
Union minister Venkaiah Naidu yesterday alleged that "some politicians" are speaking the "language of Pakistan" on the surgical strikes and said it is "not fair" to ask jawans to "show proof" of their operations against terrorists.
"In a bizarre development, we have seen today some politicians are speaking the language of Pakistan on the surgical strikes carried out by our brave jawans on terrorist launch pads across the LoC," he said at an event here.
Naidu's cabinet colleague Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his remarks "seeking proof" of the anti-terror surgical strike carried out in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The "irresponsible talk" of those demanding proof only shows their "lack" of confidence in and respect for our jawans, as they are questioning assertions of the country's army generals in public, he said.
