BJP slams Kejriwal, Chidambaram for doubting Indian Army's efficiency

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for urging the government to "expose Pakistan's propaganda" on the surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) last week.

"I want to ask Arvind Kejriwal whether he believes in the extraordinary valour of our Army or not in conducting surgical strike? If yes, then why are you (Arvind Kejriwal) getting influenced by the false propaganda of Pakistan? Why is he swayed by alleged false propaganda asking proof to be given," Union Law Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Escalating his attack on senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, Prasad asked whether the former union minister is also joining the bandwagon in doubting capacity of the Indian Army in conducting the surgical strike.

"Is Chidambaram also joining bandwagon wittingly/unwittingly of creating doubts about capacity of our forces? Under garb of seeking proof, don't belittle great leadership, courage and sacrifice of armed forces," he added.

Asserting that today Pakistan stands completely isolated, diplomatically, strategically and in terms of international relations, Prasad asked both Kejriwal and Chidambaram not to say or do anything which brings down the morale of the Indian armed forces.

"Today you (Arvind Kejriwal) are the headline, news in Pakistan media. nothing sadder or more unfortunate," he added.

Kejriwal yesterday via a three-minute video shared on his Twitter handle praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urged him to present a proof to Pakistan in lieu of the questions being raised against the surgical strikes conducted by India in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Prasad's comments came in response to Chidambaram's statement that the former Congress-led UPA regime at the Centre had also carried out same operations in the past but did not make it public.

Chidambaram yesterday said that it was up to the government to give proof of the same.

The Indian armed forces had launched 'surgical strikes' along the LoC on eight terrorist launch pads operating in PoK on the intervening night of September 28-29.

However, Pakistan denied any such operation and said that only two of its soldiers were killed in the cross-border firing that took place during the night.