Shah says 250 killed in Balakot air strike, but why PM or Govt not giving details: Cong

Stepping up its offensive, Congress on Monday asked what was the basis for BJP chief Amit Shah's claim of 250 terrorists getting killed in Indian Air Force's air strike in Pakistan's Balakot and why was Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his government not giving the details of casualties.

Congress spokesperson R P N Singh also accused the prime minister and BJP leadership of politicising the air strikes and said Modi should apologise to the country for trying to portray the Indian Force as being weaker without Rafale.

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

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

Singh said, "It is extremely shocking and tragic that the prime minister of this country is pointing fingers at opposition parties for questioning the Army or the Air Force.

"It is completely false, everybody knows that after the tragic Pulwama attack (in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed in a suicide bomb attack) the Congress President and the Congress Party clearly said that we stand with the Government, we stand with the armed forces and with the people of this country to fight against terrorism."
Referring to BJP chief Shah's statement that 250 people were killed in the air strikes, Singh asked, "Where is this number coming from and who is politicising this whole incident. Why is the prime minister not giving details and saying how many people have died in air strikes. Why is the government not confirming this."
To a question on Congress leaders Sibal and Navjot Singh Sidhu demanding proof and evidence about the Balakot air strike, Singh, "We have very clearly articulated what the Congress stand is. We are asking, from where this figure of 250-300-350 is coming out (about casualties), including which Amit Shah is announcing. We have seen people of the BJP campaigning in army fatigues. Are they politicising it or we are politicising it?"
On Rafale comments by the prime minister, Singh said, "... Even when he is sleeping, when he is eating, when he is speaking, he thinks about only Rafale, the Chowkidar (watchman), you know, what he has done. Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa very clearly stated that the MIG-21 Bison had the latest technology and can give a befitting reply to any aero plane of Pakistan and it actually did so."
Speaking in Gujarat on Monday, Modi hit out at the Opposition for questioning his statement that the presence of Rafale fighters would have given greater firepower to the IAF and said, "I said if Rafale was acquired in time it would have made a difference, but they say Modi is questioning our air force strike."