Oppn parties hit out at Shah's claim of 250 killed in air strike, ask why govt not giving details

Seeking to put the government on the back foot, opposition parties Monday latched on to BJP chief Amit Shah's claim of 250 casualties in the Indian Air Force's air strike in Pakistan's Balakot to ask how he got such top secret information.

The Congress asked the government what was the basis of Shah's claim and why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not giving details of the casualties.

Congress spokesperson RPN Singh accused the prime minister and the BJP leadership of politicising the air strike and said Modi should apologise to the country for trying to portray the Indian Air Force (IAF) as being "weaker without Rafale" and undermining its abilities.

He counter-accused the BJP and its leaders of spreading misinformation and "false propaganda" over the air strike ahead of elections and said the people of the country would give them a befitting reply.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal also said if Shah is claiming 250 casualties of terrorists in the air strike, why is the prime minister not providing details of the number of deaths.

He cited several international media reports claiming "no proof of militant losses at Balakot" and asked Modi if those media organisations are "pro-Pakistan".

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala referred to Union minister S S Ahluwalia's reported remarks that the government never claimed to have killed 300-350 terrorists in the air strike and asked the prime minister to share the "truth" with the country.

Referring to Shah's statement on the casualties in the air strike, RPN Singh asked, "Where is this number coming from and who is politicising this whole incident."
He said it is Modi who is "demoralising" the armed forces by dragging them into "dirty politics and controversies."