'How many Rafale jets shot down by Pak?' asks Revanth Reddy; BJP responds

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy's question to PM Modi on Rafale jets allegedly downed by Pakistan drew sharp BJP backlash, with leaders accusing Congress of echoing Pakistan's narrative

BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Sambit Patra on Friday came down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for their remarks on the Rafale fighter jets, accusing them of echoing Pakistan’s line and questioning the Indian armed forces. 

At a rally in Telangana on Thursday, Reddy had demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi explain how many Rafale fighter jets were shot down by Pakistan during the recent conflict. He also criticised the BJP government for not convening an all-party meeting before ending the conflict and accused the government of failing to deliver on national security promises, including the retrieval of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. 

Rahul Gandhi too had raised questions on X: “EAM Jaishankar’s silence isn’t just telling, it’s damning. So I’ll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew? This wasn’t a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth.”

 

‘Saboot gang active again’, says BJP

Addressing a press conference on Friday, BJP MP Sambit Patra charged that while the Congress claims to support the nation, its leaders repeatedly undermine the military. “The ‘saboot gang’ (evidence gang) is at it again,” Patra said, referring to Congress leaders’ frequent calls for proof of India’s military actions.   

 

  “Instead of asking how many Pakistani air bases were destroyed or how many terrorists were killed, Rahul Gandhi is only interested in knowing how many Indian planes were shot down,” Patra said, adding, “Yeh jo Pakistan ke babbar hain, woh Hindustan ke gabbar hain.” 

Patra also accused Congress of sympathising with terrorists. “Sonia Gandhi cried for slain terrorists. Rahul Gandhi celebrated after 26/11. Now, Revanth Reddy, Rahul Gandhi, and Jairam Ramesh are questioning how many Indian aircraft were lost,” he said.

Patra informed, India destroyed nine terror camps and 11 Pakistani air bases, and satellite images were shown as proof. “If a Rafale had crashed, there would be wreckage and proof. There is none,” he said, accusing Congress of sowing doubt. 

 

‘Pakistan ki Hind yatra’ jibe

Criticising the Congress' ‘Jai Hind Yatra’, Patra said, “It’s beginning to look like ‘Pakistan ki Hind Yatra’. There are now two factions in Congress, one that openly supports Pakistan and another that wants to stand with India but is silenced by leaders like Rahul Gandhi. They should stop this yatra and hold a joint press conference with Pakistan instead.”

 

‘Cong sourcing intel from WhatsApp’: Amit Malviya

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared similar views on social media. In a post on X, he wrote, “After Rahul Gandhi, now Telangana Chief Minister and Congress leader Revanth Reddy asks - ‘How many Rafale jets did Pakistan shoot down?’ It is honestly astonishing how out of depth these leaders are when it comes to matters of national security.”   

  Malviya argued that if Pakistan had actually downed a Rafale, there would have been evidence such as satellite images, wreckage, or confirmations from international agencies — just as India had provided evidence for its own military operations.

“But instead of standing with our armed forces, Congress leaders seem to be sourcing their ‘intel’ from WhatsApp forwards, social media speculation, or worse — their imagination. They sound more like Pakistan’s PR team than India’s opposition,” he said. 

“It is almost like the questions Pakistan would love to ask are now being asked, conveniently, by the Congress party. Whether by ignorance or design, they’re playing right into enemy hands. And they’re doing a splendid job at it,” Malviya said.

 

[With agency inputs]