Army Chief should not become part of govt's poll campaign, says NCP MP

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Majeed Memon on Monday questioned why Army chief Bipin Rawat is talking about Balakot now and said that he should not become part of the government's poll campaign.

The army chief earlier today had said that Balakot has been "reactivated" by Pakistan very recently.

"Why he is talking about Balakot now when the election process has started. So many months have gone by and suddenly he is talking about Balakot. Rawat should not become part of the election campaign of the government. It is not appropriate for him," Memon told reporters.

The NCP leader said, "Pulwama, Balakot and Article 370, are not associated with the upcoming assembly polls. The issues of assembly polls are inflation, unemployment and GDP decline."

"People of Haryana and Maharashtra will look at these issues when they vote," he said.

Memon also hit out at top BJP leaders saying that whether it is Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Army Chief Bipin Rawat, all are talking about what Balakot and Article 370.

Earlier in a press conference today, while responding to questions on whether there were new terror launch pads in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), Rawat had said, "Let me tell you, Balakot has been reactivated by Pakistan very recently. Obviously that shows that Balakot was affected and damaged and destroyed. That is why people had got away from there."

"It highlights that some action had been taken by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Balakot and now they have got the people back there," he had added.