Congress defends Rahul, says he is against politicizing surgical strikes

Downplaying the furore created after Congress party vice-president attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for politicising the surgical strike issue; the grand old party on Thursday said that the former just voiced his opinion against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is trying to encash political benefits from cross border incidents.

Congress leader P.C. Chacko said that on one hand the Prime Minister has asked his ministers and party inmates to speak less of the surgical strikes, the saffron leaders on the contrary are taking too much credit for the military operation against Pakistan.

"The Prime Minister few days ago ordered his ministers to not reveal much about the surgical strikes. The background was that his party, his ministers, his colleagues were taking too much credit for the surgical strikes. Rahul ji and Sonia ji supported the surgical strikes. Rahul ji even congratulated the Prime Minister," said Chacko.

"We want that the compliment should be given to the soldiers. But later on we found out that they are making it a political campaign point. Rahul ji has only said that one should not politicize the issue," he added.

Speaking in similar tune party leader Sandeep Dikshit said Prime Minister Modi had "cheaply" tried to claim himself to be a great hero, whereas the army has conducted similar strikes in the past as well.

"We should never drag army in any sort of controversy. No one needs proof. The government should not uselessly get in to this controversy," Dikshit told ANI.

"Narendra Modi has cheaply tried to claim himself to be a great hero, whereas the army was doing the same thing for the last 20-30 years," he added.

The Congress vice-president earlier today insisted that he supports the surgical strikes but will not support the use of Indian Army in political posters and propaganda.

"I fully support the surgical strikes and I have said so unequivocally, but I will not support using the Indian Army in political posters and propaganda all across the country," said Gandhi in a series of tweets.

Gandhi yesterday accused Prime Minister Modi of playing politics over the "blood of jawans" who sacrificed their lives in Kashmir.

Targeting the Prime Minister over the surgical strikes, Gandhi said "Jo hamare jawan hain jinhone apna khoon diya hai, Jammu and Kashmir mein khoon diya hai, jinhone Hindustan ke liye surgical strikes kiye hain, unke khoon ke peeche aap chhupe hain. Unki aap dalali kar rahe ho. Yeh bilkul galat hai . (You [Modi] are hiding behind the blood of soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir and those who carried out the surgical strikes for India. You are exploiting their sacrifices, which is very wrong)."

A political slugfest over the surgical strikes broke out on Tuesday with Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam calling it "fake" and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asking the government to release the proof of the surgical strikes to counter the Pakistani propaganda against the operation.

The ruling BJP at the Centre, however, lashed out at the opposition for demeaning the morale of the armed forces by demanding proof of the predawn September 29 surgical strikes.