More opposition voices seek ‘proof’ of damage in Balakot airstrikes
Swati Mathur | TNN | Mar 3, 2019, 21:27 IST
File photo of senior Congress leader Digvijaya SinghNEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said on Saturday the Central should provide “solid proof” of IAF air strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed’s terror camp in Pakistan’s Balakot.
He also “thanked” Pakistan premier Imran Khan for returning IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman to India without “bargaining”, and said the Pak PM should now also handover terrorists Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India.
Speaking to the press in Bhopal on Saturday, Singh had said, “I am not raising questions on the operation, but this is the technical age and satellite pictures are possible. Like USA had given solid proof of the Osama bin Laden operation to the world, we should also do it for our air strike.”
He praised Pakistan PM Imran Khan for returning the Wing Commander Varthaman despite facing the ‘ire’ of ISI and the Pakistan Army. “I am thankful that Imran Khan returned our Pilot without any bargaining because of which his own people and ISI said that he should have bargained and shouldn't have let the Indian Pilot return without it,” he said.
The clamour for “proof” of damage to Pakistani terror installations during the IAF airstrikes in Khyber Pashtunwa has grown over the last few days with Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also demanding that the government present proof of destroying terror targets in Pakistan.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had asked the Centre to spell out “details” of the exact place where air raids were carried out and the casualties they inflicted. Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti, on the other hand, said it was “baffling” that those seeking the veracity of the Modi government’s claims were being deemed “anti-national”.
“Calling those who question the veracity of Balakot strikes anti-national is baffling. However, the opposition should not fall into this trap of changing the entire election discourse from pressing issues like demonetisation, GST, unemployment, farmers distress to these strikes,” Mehbooba tweeted.
She also said Indian citizens have every right to question the credibility of the Balakot operation “especially due to the Government of India’s ambiguity about the details....How does it help the enemies? Only puts Government of India in a tight spot since they want to exploit this to reap electoral benefits,” she added.
Earlier, commenting on media reports of “300 terrorists dead” in the Balakot airstrikes by Indian fighter jets, Union MoS SS Ahluwalia had clarified that neither the government, nor anyone in BJP had named any figures of the dead. Ahluwalia also said that the government “did not want any human casualties” but only to prove that India had the capability to enter Pakistani territory and hit the intended targets there
He also “thanked” Pakistan premier Imran Khan for returning IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman to India without “bargaining”, and said the Pak PM should now also handover terrorists Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India.
Speaking to the press in Bhopal on Saturday, Singh had said, “I am not raising questions on the operation, but this is the technical age and satellite pictures are possible. Like USA had given solid proof of the Osama bin Laden operation to the world, we should also do it for our air strike.”
He praised Pakistan PM Imran Khan for returning the Wing Commander Varthaman despite facing the ‘ire’ of ISI and the Pakistan Army. “I am thankful that Imran Khan returned our Pilot without any bargaining because of which his own people and ISI said that he should have bargained and shouldn't have let the Indian Pilot return without it,” he said.
The clamour for “proof” of damage to Pakistani terror installations during the IAF airstrikes in Khyber Pashtunwa has grown over the last few days with Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also demanding that the government present proof of destroying terror targets in Pakistan.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had asked the Centre to spell out “details” of the exact place where air raids were carried out and the casualties they inflicted. Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti, on the other hand, said it was “baffling” that those seeking the veracity of the Modi government’s claims were being deemed “anti-national”.
“Calling those who question the veracity of Balakot strikes anti-national is baffling. However, the opposition should not fall into this trap of changing the entire election discourse from pressing issues like demonetisation, GST, unemployment, farmers distress to these strikes,” Mehbooba tweeted.
She also said Indian citizens have every right to question the credibility of the Balakot operation “especially due to the Government of India’s ambiguity about the details....How does it help the enemies? Only puts Government of India in a tight spot since they want to exploit this to reap electoral benefits,” she added.
Earlier, commenting on media reports of “300 terrorists dead” in the Balakot airstrikes by Indian fighter jets, Union MoS SS Ahluwalia had clarified that neither the government, nor anyone in BJP had named any figures of the dead. Ahluwalia also said that the government “did not want any human casualties” but only to prove that India had the capability to enter Pakistani territory and hit the intended targets there
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