BJP politicising air strike, slams Chidambaram

Even as the country is debating about the actual number of casualties in the IAF airstrikes in Balakot, Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram yesterday flayed the BJP for throwing out numbers without any confirmation.

“Why did you have to throw up a number. All you had to say was there was an attack on the CRPF convoy and Indian Air Force retaliated.

We have struck our target and we have returned unscathed. Matter is over. You try to politicise it by these numbers and these numbers are boomeranging on the government,” he stated.

His statement comes days after the BJP chief Amit Shah claimed that the number of terrorists killed in the Indian Air Force strike was 250 amid efforts by Pakistan to downplay the impact of the Indian air strike.

Chidambaram taking part in an event organised by Manthan, said the Congress was not questioning the Armed forces. “So, the Indian Air Force struck a target and the Air Chief says I achieved my objective of striking the target. No question. I accept it. I salute the Indian Air Force Chief. I accept it and I accept his word. Until then, there was no division or debate in this country,” he stated. However, the debate started when the BJP leaders started throwing about numbers on the casualties without giving any confirmation. He further claimed that different numbers were being stated by various ministers of the BJP.

His book ‘Undaunted’ is a collection of columns and deals with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the decline in economy and undermining of institutions by the government. “If you read the four columns on Jammu and Kashmir, only last year, a year before I said to the Manthan audience, I fear that we have nearly lost Kashmir. If you read the four columns in this compilation, you will come to the conclusion that we have lost Kashmir,” he said.

Alleging that every institution was being undermined and that the country’s economy is weaker after five years, he said demonetisationdecision was taken without a cabinet paper or cabinet note. An atmosphere of fear was prevailing in the country and the idea of India of being a multi-cultural society needs to be saved, he claimed.