Cong flays Centre on defence issues

Congress today criticised the NDA government for "compromising national security" and a cut in defence spending at a time when record ceasefire violations were witnessed along the India's border with Pakistan.
"The Modi government is indulging in an unforgivable game of compromising national interest and national security. Principles and priorities of this government to strengthen the nation are misplaced," AICC spokesperson Shobha Oza said at a press conference here.
The policies, programmes and diplomatic misadventures were suggesting that India had lost its strategic outlook on defence, she said.
"Be it inconsistency in dealing with Pakistan, confusing soft signals vis-a-vis China, laggardness in defence procurement and subversion of deals on transfer of technology, the policies of Modi government have been dithering, direction less and in derogation of national interest," Oza said.

She pointed out that the NDA government had failed to utilise Rs 28,446 crore allocated to defence sector in 2014-15 and this was the lowest percentage of spending of budgeted amount in the last five years.
"As admitted by the Modi government, there have been 746 ceasefire violations along the LoC with Pakistan between June 2014 and February 2015.

"In fact, BSF Director General went on record to say that ceasefire violations were the highest since 1971 Indo-Pak war," Oza said.
Talking about controversial Rafale aircraft purchase issue, the President of All India Mahila Congress said India did not have an inter-governmental agreement with France and could not bypass the Defence Acquisition Council by announcing a unilateral aircraft deal.

She also slammed the Centre for abolishing the process of putting the foreign investments through IB/RAW scrutiny.
"Modi government must remember that peace at the borders is secured by strategic thinking as also strength and preparedness of armed forces. His inept handling of defence apparatus is posing a serious national security concern for India.
"It is time that Modi government wakes up from its slumber and inexperience to consolidate our borders, strengthen our armed forces and deter our enemies," Oza said.