Nagrota: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called out party colleague Digvijay Singh’s need for proof of the surgical strikes in Pakistan territory in 2016.
Singh had questioned the authenticity of the strikes undertaken by the BJP-led central government, following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri that killed 19 soldiers.
At a media meet of the “Bharat Jodo Yatra” in Jammu’s Nagrota Tuesday, Gandhi said: “I don’t agree with Digvijay Singh’s statement. We trust the Army. The Army need not clarify on what it does.”
He added, “We are a democratic party. We are not a dictatorship. We do not appreciate Digvijay Singh’s views. I can assure you that Digvijay Singh’s views are not shared by the party.”
Asked if Singh’s statement could harm the ongoing “Bharat Jodo Yatra”, Gandhi said the march would not be affected by one or two statements.
“The Yatra has achieved something very powerful. This cannot be changed. The Yatra has been a success. India is being brought together,” Gandhi added during a halt on the way to Udhampur.
Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh kicked up dust recently by questioning the 2016 surgical strikes. In Jammu Monday, Singh also said, “Forty of our CRPF jawans were martyred in Pulwama. CRPF officials had requested PM Modi that personnel should be airlifted, but PM Modi didn’t agree. How did such a lapse take place? Till date, no report on Pulwama has been placed before Parliament.”
On 14 February in 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying Indian security personnel on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a suicide bomber at Lethapora in Pulwama district which kiled 40 soldiers.
Gandhi, however, has previously criticised the Modi government for using military action for “political capital”.
Spoken like a true soldier General. India is so proud of you. Mr 36 has absolutely no shame in using our military as a personal asset. He used the surgical strikes for political capital and the Rafale deal to increase Anil Ambani’s real capital by 30,000 Cr. #SurgicalStrike https://t.co/IotXWBsIih
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 8, 2018
Meanwhile, his “Bharat Jodo Yatra” is drawing huge crowds in Jammu and Udhampur on 130th of the Yatra Tuesday. The Yatra is likely to enter the Kashmir valley on 27 January, followed by a mega rally three days later in Srinagar.
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