New Delhi: Claiming that cross-border pre-emptive military actions took place during the UPA regime also, Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Tuesday said there will be public demands for releasing the video footage of the recent surgical strikes carried across the Line of Control (LoC), as the Narendra Modi government has taken political ownership of the military action.
Talking to a TV news channel, Chidambaram said that unlike the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, the Narendra Modi government has deliberately taken political ownership of military action.
"Such cross-border pre-emptive actions have taken place in the past. At least one such strike has been confirmed by then Chief of Army staff Gen. Bikram singh in January 2013. There have been others, but I don't want to get into details," Chidambaram told the TV channel.
"Having taken political ownership for the cross-border action and having publicised it so much, it is only to be expected that people will demand that the video be released. So I am sure the government has thought through about the consequences of taking the political ownership for a purely military action.
"And having thought through the consequences, let the government respond to the demand for releasing videos, “said the former Union Home Minister.
The Congress leader attributed "policy of strategic restraint" behind the UPA not publicising such military action conducted during its regime.
"Our government took the call that cross-border action should be a military call and it is for (Army) Generals to say what they want to say. We did not take political ownership of military action. This government has taken that responsibility."
"We pursued the correct strategy, our policy was strategic restrain. It is of course the privilege of every government to adapt or modify policies. If the NDA government modified, altered the polices of strategic restraint, its their call, they have to face the consequences of that call," he said.
"As the Opposition we support the government but the consequences of that call to modify and to take political ownership of military action, entirely is the responsibility of the NDA," he said, adding that during the UPA regime between 2004-2014, "more terrorists were arrested and killed" than in any other period.
Want Proof, Take Pak Citizenship: Uma
Taking on the politicians who cast “doubt” on the Army’s ‘surgical strike’ across LoC, Union Minister Uma Bharti on Tuesday said such leaders should take “citizenship” of Pakistan.
“Those leaders who say that if Pakistan is demanding evidences about surgical strike, they should be given the evidences, such people should take the citizenship of Pakistan,” Bharti said, replying to a media query here.
Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam Tuesday raised doubt over the veracity of the Army’s surgical strikes suggesting it was “fake”, even as he accused BJP of indulging in politics over national interest.
“Every Indian wants surgical strikes against Pakistan but not a fake one to extract just political benefit by BJP. politics over national interest(sic),” Nirupam tweeted.
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