Modi government failed to protect country: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the terrorist attack on the Pathankot air force base and said the government had failed to protect the country.

"The Modi government has failed to protect the country. If this government continues like this, then instead of 'achhe din', it looks like we may lose our country to terrorists," Congress leader and former home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde told the media.

"Modiji used to say UPA ministers served 'biriyani' to Pakistan, what now? He himself went to meet (Pakistan Prime Minister) Nawaz Sharif. What did he discuss there? Were there any press releases? We are in the dark about what they discussed," he said.

He also said that the NDA government should send a clear signal to Pakistan that terrorist attacks will not be tolerated.

"India can be a friend of Pakistan but that country should take action against terrorism," he said.

Shinde also said that whenever there was a Bharatiya Janata Party government at the centre, instances of terrorism go up.

"In 1999, IC-184 hijack happened. The then foreign minister accompanied terrorists to Kandahar and released them. During NDA-I, there were hijackings, attacks on Red Fort, Jammu and Kashmir assembly and parliament. Whenever BJP comes to power, terrorism increases," he said.

He lauded the armed forces for their prompt action in combing operation at the Pathankot base. "The work of our brave soldiers should be lauded."