Only 5 people knew about Balakot airstrike, must book those who leaked info — Rahul Gandhi
Politics

Only 5 people knew about Balakot airstrike, must book those who leaked info — Rahul Gandhi

Rahul Gandhi says 'passing of' information on Balakot airstrike is a 'criminal act', and the person who gave the information and the one who got it should both be booked.

   
Rahul Gandhi

(File photo) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi | Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Tuesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top leaders in the government, saying only they had information about the 2019 Balakot airstrike that was purportedly passed on to Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami.

Calling the alleged passing on of the information a “criminal act”, Gandhi said both the sender as well as the receiver of the information need to be booked.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters at 24, Akbar road, the Congress leader said, “Only 4-5 people knew about the airstrike — the PM, the defence minister, the home minister, air chief staff and NSA. One of these people gave the information to Arnab Goswami.

“This is a criminal act, and the person who gave this information as well the person who got this information, both need to be booked,” he added.

The Congress leader’s remarks come days after Goswami’s purported WhatsApp chats from February 2019 with former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) chief executive Partho Dasgupta created a storm after they went viral.

The chats are a part of Mumbai Police’s charge sheet, submitted before a court, in a case pertaining to alleged manipulation of Television Rating Points (TRPs) by news channels, including Republic TV. Among other things, the chats purportedly show Goswami having prior knowledge of major government decisions such as the Balakot airstrikes.

Gandhi also said that an inquiry should take place to ascertain who was responsible, claiming that “it must have been the PM”.

“It will need to be inquired who gave this information. But the inquiry process will not be started. I will tell you why. Because the PM must have given this information. Only five people knew about this, one of them gave it. It’s crystal clear,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi also said he found something very “distressing” about the chats.

“Someone saying this is going to be very good for us when our CRPF boys are killed… This is anti-national,” Gandhi said. He was referring to the purported conversation, where Dasgupta said that the airstrike will be good for the polls.


Also read: ‘NSA, PMO hooked to Republic’ — Arnab Goswami ‘WhatsApp chats’ give TRP scandal new twist


On farm laws

Speaking on the Centre’s new farm laws, Gandhi said the laws will not only hurt farmers, but also the middle class.

“This is not about the present. This is about what’s happening to your future and this country’s ability to be economically strong and this country’s ability to give you a job, this country’s ability to stand tall among other nations,” Gandhi said.

He further said that only 3-4 “crony capitalists” own the country, and will soon capture the agriculture industry too.

“Agriculture is the last standing bastion protected from monopoly, which is now going to be hit. 3-4 businessmen will be able to store millions of commodities now. And my friends in the middle class, you will be paying prices you would’ve never imagined,” he said.

“Please know that the rice that comes to you at the price it does is because of the APMC. This is not just an assault on farmers but on the middle class,” Gandhi added.

Hitting back at Gandhi, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Congress doesn’t want a solution to the farmers’ issue. “The Congress organised a press conference today because it doesn’t want a solution to the problem of the farmers’ situation in the 10th round of discussions set to happen tomorrow. This is exactly why Rahul Gandhi did a press conference today.

“Why are the farmers poor after seven decades? It is only because of Congress rule, who kept delaying the Swaminathan Committee guidelines,” he said.

‘PM endorsed Trump’

On being asked about violence at the Capitol Hill by mob of outgoing US President Donald Trump’s supporters earlier this month, Gandhi said it was PM Modi who endorsed Trump.

“I remember the PM saying ‘Abki baar Trump Sarkar’. As the PM of the country, you can’t do something like that. Because you are disrespecting the people of the US. It’s their decision…this shows his lack of understanding,” Gandhi said.

PM Modi had, in September 2019, cheered for Trump — endorsing his re-election during the former’s visit to the US for the ‘Howdy, Modi’ event.

‘Nadda not my professor’

Gandhi also said he would not like to respond to the series of ‘questions’ directed at him by BJP president J.P. Nadda since the latter “isn’t my professor”.

“He is not my professor that I will keep answering his questions…the farmers know I was standing with them in Bhatta Parsaul, I was standing with them during land acquisition protests,” Gandhi added. He also said that Congress has spoken about farm ‘reforms’ but destroying agriculture.

 

 

Nadda had raised questions over the Congress’ 2019 election manifesto which talked about repealing the APMC Act, and also the party’s stance on Jallikattu.

On Gandhi’s ‘professor’ comment, Javadekar said the Congress leader should “admit his failure”.

“BJP is the most prominent party in the country and its chief asked questions to Rahul Gandhi. But Rahul Gandhi ran away. If you don’t know the answer to the questions, then you should admit your failure,” he said.

“Why does he not answer on China? Who gave away land to China? Under whose rule did Aksai Chin go out of India’s hands? Who took money from China for a private trust? Who gave away India’s UNSC permanent seat to China? There are several questions, but Congress will keep running,” Javadekar said.


Also read: The problem Rahul Gandhi has created for Amarinder Singh in Punjab by backing farmer protests