Pawar refuses to buy Shah claim of casualty in air strike

NCP president Sharad Pawar Monday expressed surprise over BJP chief Amit Shah claim of more than 250 terrorists being killed in the Balakot air strike and said if the casualty figure had come from defence personnel, he would have taken it seriously.

Pawar also said no political benefit should be sought from the February 26 air attack on a JeM training camp at Balakot in Pakistan.

He was speaking to reporters after meeting the family of Indian Air Force pilot Ninad Mandavgane, who died in a helicopter accident in Srinagar recently, in Nashik, around 200km from here in North Maharashtra.

Shah, addressing a rally in Gujarat, had claimed the IAF air strike on the terror camp had killed "more than 250" terrorists.

The government is yet to officially come out with the number of terrorists killed in the operation.

"Had the claim of casualty in the air strike come from any defence person, I would have taken it seriously. In such a situation, no political benefit or gain should be sought.

"I am surprised that Amit Shah makes such a statement on this issue," Pawar said.

"His is an inappropriate statement over the issue," said the former defence minister.

"No one can help if someone wants to seek benefit out of it. This would create a different kind of picture about the society. This is not good," Pawar said.