Parrikar's statement on no surgical strikes during UPA political: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday criticised Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar for saying that no surgical strike took place under the previous UPA regime and termed it as being politically motivated.

"This statement should not have been made in respect to the defence minister. He was nowhere, he did not know what happened 20-25 years ago," said NCP leader Majeed Memon.

Memon said Parrikar should have refrained from making such statements.

Memon, however, supported Parrikar's praise of the army's surgical strike, saying, 'It is absolutely right, I entirely agree with this statement of the defence minister. The credit would go to the army as a whole and to those jawans who in fact participated on ground, and they are the people who should be credited for this and complimented for it."

Yesterday, Parrikar said that he would only share the credit of the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and added that the major share of the success goes to the latter for apt decision making and planning.

"I will only share the credit, major share goes to the Prime Minister. This should settle the nerves of many people," he said.

He also took a jibe on the cynical criticism surrounding the strikes and said that doubters can also share the credit for the success of the same.

"I understand that people are satisfied," said Parrikar.

Parrikar also rejected the Congress's claims that surgical strikes were undertaken during the UPA regime.