PM Modi playing 'good cop bad cop' with nation: JD (U)

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi likened the Indian army's anti-terror surgical strikes to the functioning of Israel's defense forces while addressing a Parivartan rally in Himachal Pradesh yesterday, Janata Dal (United) leader Pawan Verma on Wednesday alleged that the former has perfected the art of saying one thing to one audience and another thing to another audience.

Accusing the Prime Minister of indulging in the policy of 'good cop bad cop', Verma quoted a saying and told ANI that "teacher heal thyself".

"At one point he told his Ministers not to do chest thumping at another he himself is leading the biggest display of chest thumping on his supposedly 56 inch chest. What is the message to his own Ministers? He is comparing the surgical strike to what Israel did taking the credit for it and chest thumping .. All party supported him, but he after giving advice to his Ministers decides to do something else when the audience is different. It is a policy of good cop bad cop," he said.

In his first direct reference to the September 29 surgical strikes+ across the Line of Control (LoC), Prime Minister Modi said that while Israel has been known for such operations, the Indian Army has proved it is no less capable.

"Today the entire nation is talking of the valour of our Army. Earlier, we used to hear of Israel having done something like this. But the country has seen that the Indian Army is no less than anyone else," the Prime Minister said.

Israel is known for its targeted military strikes against enemy countries and militant outfits.

"It is a proud moment not only for the Army but also for all ex-servicemen and countrymen and my hundred salutes to the Army for their valour and courage," the Prime Minister said.