New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha and Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi following his social media post questioning the number of Indian Air Force jets lost during Operation Sindoor.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused Gandhi of making thoughtless comments that could jeopardise national security and undermine the morale of the armed forces.
“Rahul Gandhi, stop undermining the valour and commitment of our brave armed forces, stop asking questions which shouldn’t be asked. They jeopardise national security,” Bhatia urged the Congress leader.
Bhatia expressed concern that Gandhi’s remarks might be exploited by Pakistan to demoralise India’s military, questioning the Congress leader’s allegiance. He posed a provocative question, “Was Rahul Gandhi siding with India or with its adversaries? “Is he acting as the Leader of Opposition or as ‘Pakistan’s Nishan-e-Pakistan’?” he asked, implying that Gandhi’s statements were more in line with Pakistani interests than those of India.
Bhatia urged the public to contemplate the implications of Gandhi’s rhetoric, emphasising, “It is acceptable to have differences of opinion with the Prime Minister; that is part of a democracy.” However, he condemned the language Gandhi used when addressing the Prime Minister, describing it as “deeply troubling.” He pointed out that Gandhi’s comments have reportedly made their way into discussions in Pakistan’s parliament, leading to the contention that Pakistan is using statements from Congress leaders to bolster its narrative against India.
Furthermore, Bhatia accused Gandhi of engaging in discussions detrimental to India, specifically citing a statement from Pakistani political leader Mariam Nawaz, which suggested that India’s actions during Operation Sindoor had caused significant losses for Pakistan. He linked Gandhi’s comments to a broader pattern of behaviour wherein the Congress Party, under his leadership, has downplayed the significance of national defence actions, referring to Operation Sindoor as a “small war.
