The national security and the defence sector were either a punching bag or a funding source for the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said from New Delhi during a video conference with Tamil Nadu BJP workers on December 15.

The Prime Minister alleged that the (Congress) leaders mocked at the surgical strikes of the Army into PoK on the one hand in September 2016 and on the other, they had looted the defence sector from the jeep scam back in the 1940s and 50s to the Bofors scandal in the 80s, the AgustaWestland and submarine scams, among many others.

“All they see is the way to make money even if it means the morale of our forces is diminished. We are proud of our forces and have faith in them,” he said.

At a recent election campaign in Rajasthan, Mr. Modi had slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi for “raising doubts” over the cross-border surgical strikes. He had said the military operation left the Opposition party dejected instead of elated.

His jibe at the Congress came after Mr. Gandhi accused him of shaping the Army’s surgical strikes into a “political asset” and being “unsuccessful” in creating job opportunities for the youth.