On surgical strike anniversary, Congress has questions for Modi government

Accusing the Narendra Modi government of compromising national security and betraying the national interest over the last four and a half years, the Congress Party on Friday posed 10 questions to the government.

Reading out the questions in a press conference, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked, "Why has Prime Minister Narendra Modi betrayed India's soldiers by denying them One Rank, One Pension (OROP)? Why has Modi government endangered our national security? Has the Modi government risked the security and safety of India, as there has been a 500 per cent increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistan since May 2014? Why did this government invite the rogue Inter-Service Intelligence to investigate the Pathankot terror attack on March 27, 2016, which, on returning back to Pakistan, claimed that India had killed its own soldiers? What is the sinister motive behind slashing India's Defence Budget?"

Further alleging the government of weakening the defence preparedness of the country's armed forces, Surjewala asked "Why is the government systematically weakening the defence preparedness of our Armed Forces? Why after Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence's report saying that Army's 68 per cent weapons have become old and the government is also not providing funds for construction of roads near China border, was General BC Khanduri removed as head of this committee? Why did Prime Minister Modi remain silent on Doklam standoff by China? Why is the government involved in 'Operation Cover-Up' in the Rafale Scam? Why did the government play havoc with India's internal security by allowing Naxalism to raise its head and create internal disturbances?"

Congress also claimed that eight surgical strikes were conducted in the period between 2000 and 2016, and raised objections over the alleged politicisation of the issue.

Surjewala said, "Conducting strategic surgical strikes with utmost precision and effective penetration at different times in the last two decades has been characteristic of the grit and determination of our Forces. We are proud that our forces have successfully conducted multiple surgical strikes over the last two decades, particularly between the year 2000 and 2016.