Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday hit back at the Congress party after senior leaders including Kapil Sibal, Digvijaya Singh and P Chidambaram sought clarification from the Narendra Modi government over reports in international media on strike by the Indian Air Force in Pakistan’s Balakot.

Prasad, who is also the chief spokesperson of the BJP, said statements made by the Congress leaders are aimed at “lowering the morale” of the forces. “Has Digvijaya Singh reduced himself to such a low level that he will call the most heinous terrorist attack on 45 CRPF jawans as an accident? This is their thinking,” said Prasad at a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.

Digvijaya Singh, earlier in the day, had said, “…some foreign media have raised doubts over the air strike by our air force following Pulwama accident which is putting question mark on the credibility of our Government of India.”

Prasad alleged that Digvijaya Singh, Kapil Sibal and P Chidambaram, who targeted the government over IAF strike on Monday, were issuing statements “as part of a design” that has “approval of Congress president Rahul Gandhi”.

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“Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi must answer…These three senior leaders (Kapil Sibal, Digvijaya Singh and P Chidambaram) who are repeat offenders are not saying in isolation. It is part of a great design with the blessings of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi,” said Prasad.

Sibal and Chidambaram had sought answers from the government citing conflicting reports in international media and differing claims made by BJP leaders over IAF strike at terror camps in Balakot on February 26. “IAF Vice Air Marshal declined to comment on casualties. The MEA statement said there were no civilian or military casualties. So, who put out the number of casualties at 300-350,” Chidambaram said on Monday.

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Responding to the charge, Prasad read out a few reports published by Indian media to state that considerable damage was caused to the terrorists in the IAF attack after Pulwama terror attack.

“Not even a single country has sought evidence of IAF air strike,” he said adding, “This is clear that purely for the consideration of votes, they are lowering the morale of India.”

The Union minister also claimed that the statements by the Congress leaders are making headlines in Pakistan and being used to target India.

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First Published: Mar 05, 2019 14:22 IST