He also questioned the IAF kill-list of Balakot air strike.
Congress leader Sam Pitroda on Friday asked the government to come out with "more facts" on the Balakot air strikes, and said that he was "baffled" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reaction to his question which he was entitled to ask.
Pitroda, chief of Indian Overseas Congress, also said it was good to have a debate, discussion, dialogue and discourse, and it does not amount to questioning anyone.
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi, using the hashtag 'Janta Maaf Nahi Karegi' (people will not forgive) in a tweet, attacked Pitroda for reportedly saying he wanted to "know more" about the Balakot air attack, including number of terrorists killed.
Several BJP leaders, including BJP chief Amit Shah, slammed Pitroda for his remarks.
"All I said is, can we get more facts, that's all. I don't know why this whole confusion... In democracy you are entitled to ask a question. It is good to have a debate, discussion, dialogue, discourse," Pitroda told PTI.
"My asking a question should not create the kind of reaction it has created, even at the level of the prime minister. I am baffled," the technocrat-turned-politician said.
Attacking Pitroda, Modi also said: "Loyal courtier of Congress' royal dynasty admits what the nation already knew -- Congress was unwilling to respond to forces of terror. This is a New India- we will answer terrorists in a language they understand and with interest!." He also asserted that he was neither questioning the armed forces as being alleged by the BJP and the prime minister nor the government.
"I am just saying give me more facts," Pitroda said.
PM Modi's Reaction
Reacting, PM Modi wrote: "Loyal courtier of Congress’ royal dynasty admits what the nation already knew- Congress was unwilling to respond to forces of terror. This is a New India- we will answer terrorists in a language they understand and with interest!"
He added: "The most trusted advisor and guide of the Congress President has kick-started the Pakistan National Day celebrations on behalf of the Congress, ironically by demeaning India’s armed forces."
The most trusted advisor and guide of the Congress President has kick-started the Pakistan National Day celebrations on behalf of the Congress, ironically by demeaning India’s armed forces.
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2019
Shame! https://t.co/puSjTK8Y4x
Loyal courtier of Congress’ royal dynasty admits what the nation already knew- Congress was unwilling to respond to forces of terror.
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2019
This is a New India- we will answer terrorists in a language they understand and with interest! https://t.co/Mul4LIbKb5
Reacting sharpy, BJP's national spokesperson Sambit Patra accused him of handing out a clean chit to Pakistan.
When asked on his views on the airstrike against the Jaish-e-Mohammad camp in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, he added that international news outlets had an alternate view of the impact of the air strike and that the people of India deserved to know the facts of the Air Force operation.
Were 300 mobiles being used by trees? Rajnath Singh slams Opp leaders
#WATCH Sam Pitroda,Indian Overseas Congress Chief, says, "8 people(26/11 terrorists) come&do something, you don’t jump on entire nation(Pakistan).Naive to assume that just because some people came &attacked,every citizen of that nation is to be blamed.I don’t believe in that way" pic.twitter.com/K66Ds4p3ke
— ANI (@ANI) March 22, 2019
We could’ve sent our planes after 26/11 but that’s not the way: 7 shocking comments by Sam Pitroda
1. 'Did we really attack?'
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"I would like to know a little more because I read reports in the New York Times and other newspapers. Did we really attack? We really killed 300 people? I don't know that. As a citizen, I am entitled to know and if I ask it is my duty to ask, that doesn't mean I'm not a nationalist, That doesn't mean I am on this side or that side. We need to know the facts. If you say 300 people were killed, I need to know that. We all need to know that, people of India need to know that and then comes global media which says nobody was killed. I look bad as an Indian citizen," said Pitroda.
2. 'We should have a dialogue with every body including Pak'
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Pitroda, who is part of the Congress' manifesto committee for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and is considered a senior ideologue of the party, sought a dialogue with Pakistan. "I am a Gandhian, I believe in more compassion and respect. I believe in more dialogues personally. I think we should have a dialogue with everybody. Why just Pakistan? We are having dialogue with the whole world," added Pitroda.
Pressed further to clarify if talks with Pakistan was an option post the Pulwama terror attack which killed 40 CRPF jawans, Pitroda said that it would be naive to assume that if some people came here and attacked, every citizen of that nation is to be blamed. "I don't know much about (Pulwama) attack, it happens all the time, attack happen in Mumbai Taj hotel and Oberoi hotel. We could have reacted then and sent our planes but that is not the right approach according to me that's not how you deal with the World. Eight people come (referring to Mumbai 26/11 attacks) and do something, you don't jump on the entire nation," said Sam Pitroda in an interview to ANI.
3. 'I am talking as a scientist'
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When asked if he questioned the Indian Air Force's version of the Balakot air strikes, Pitroda clarified that an attack is different from making a claim of 300 dead. "We cannot be emotional. Data has to be neutral. So you come in today and say 'I killed 300 people' and I say wait a minute, the World is saying we didn't kill anybody or kill less or kill more.. I don't know," added Pitroda.
Sam Pitroda added a caveat to his remarks on the Pulwama terror attack and Balakot air strikes by saying that the views expressed by him were his personal views and not those of the Congress party. "I am talking as an individual. I am talking as a scientist. I believe in reason. I believe in logic. I believe in data. I don't believe in emotions," he added.
4. 'Formula is to create fear'
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When asked if Dr. Manmohan Singh when Prime Minister was as decisive in his actions as PM Narendra Modi, Pitroda said that PM Manmohan Singh was one of the best Prime Ministers the country ever had. "A lot of people ridiculed, a lot of people have written articles, they have done movies. It is all bogus," he added. Pitroda also said that he disagreed with the way PM Modi acted post-Pulwama attack.
Pitroda went on to say in the interview that since 2014, a populist government had risen in both India and the United States. "The formula is to create fear by saying that there is enemy at the border. In India, it is Pakistan. In US, it is Mexican immigrants. Then say everything is bad because nobody is competent," he added.
5. Now national knows why UPA chose not to respond: Smriti Irani
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‘Naive’ to bring a terror state to justice ??Now the Nation knows why @RahulGandhi UPA chose not to respond with the full might of India post 26/11. Congress sympathies with Pakistan stand exposed. No wonder you supported the ‘Bharat tere tukde honge’ gang. https://t.co/nvo2oONJWE
— Chowkidar Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) March 22, 2019
6. Amit Shah slams Sam Pitroda
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Difference between Opposition and BJP is clear.
— Chowkidar Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 22, 2019
They suspect our army, we are proud of our army.
Their heart beats for terrorists, ours beats for the Tiranga.
This election, through the power of your vote, do a surgical strike on the Congress culture. #JantaMaafNahiKaregi https://t.co/P2FOuIwupg
7. Naqvi slams shameful comments
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Terming Sam Pitroda's recent comment on Balakot air strikes as "shameful", Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday said that Congress leaders are "dead people" and are not capable of becoming good leaders. He further said that the Indian Air Force conducted the air strike on the terrorists in Pakistan but the pain was felt across the Congress ranks. Speaking to ANI, Naqvi said: "Sam Pitroda statement is shameful for the nation. We were shocked to see that when terrorists were attacked in Pakistan Congress leaders were howling here. They are dead people. They do not have a sense what a leader should do for the country's safety and security." Claiming that "no action" was taken against Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai attack by the Congress government, the union minister said: "Now everything is clear, Congress wanted that [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi government to follow their poor international policy, which they had during their rule."
He asserted that Prime Minister Modi's policy is different when it comes to the country's safety. "It is not in his blood. He will give a befitting reply when somebody will attack when it comes to country's safety and pride." He further opined that people of Kashi, Uttar Pradesh will again vote of Prime Minister Modi. "PM Modi had contested from Varanasi last time and had done a lot of development in Kashi. People of Kashi wanted him back in the constituency this time as well," the minister said.
8. 26/11 victim
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One of the victims of 26/11, Devika Rotawan, who was shot in the leg slammed Sam Pitroda. She told a news channel: "Pakistan is a house for terrorists. How can you support Pakistan? No one died from your family. Therefore, you are saying all this. I think he is in support of Pakistan. Pakistan always backstabs us."
Rotawan had famously helped identify Ajmal Kasab.
9. FM Jaitley on Sam Pitroda's comments
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On Friday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley lashed out at Sam Pitroda for his remarks on the Balakot air strike and 26/11. Speaking at the BJP headquarters, he said: “He believes what we did was wrong. No country in the world said this, not even the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) said this, only Pakistan was of this view. Unfortunate such people are ideologues of a political party.”
He added; "Agar Guru aisa ho to shishya kitna nikamma niklega ye desh ko aaj bhugatna pad raha hai."
#WATCH Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on #SamPitroda's airstrike remark, says, "Agar Guru aisa ho to shishya kitna nikamma niklega ye desh ko aaj bhugatna pad raha hai." pic.twitter.com/14DqGDbSyX
— ANI (@ANI) March 22, 2019
Union Minister Arun Jaitley Friday slammed Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda for his comments on IAF's air strike on a terror camp in Balakot following the Pulwama attack, terming his statement as "unfortunate" and a "blessing for Pakistan's narrative".
"There is no country that has criticised the surgical strikes or the air strikes conducted by India except for one nation, Pakistan. The fact that senior Congress leaders are speaking the same language is unfortunate and also hurts the sentiments of the country. To say that the Pulwama attack was self-engineered is a blessing for Pakistan's narrative," he said.
Pitroda had reportedly said that post the Mumbai terror attacks, India could have responded with air strikes, but "according to me that's not how you deal with world." He had also said he wanted to "know more" about the Balakot air attack and number of terrorists killed in it.
Saying that Pitroda's statement was "erroneous", Jaitley asserted that it was based on the assumption that Pakistan state actors and non-state actors were different.
"Their (Pakistan's) reaction to terror attacks has pointed out that non-state attackers are just an extended limb to the state actors of Pakistan," Jaitley told reporters on the sidelines of a function where former cricketer Gautam Gambhir joined the BJP.
He said, "The security doctrine of India has changed now. We attack at the point of origin of terror now. This is now an ideological battle between those who want to defend India using all possible measures or those who want to fight for India with their hands tied behind their back." Days after the Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans, the Indian Air Force fighter jets bombed terror group JeM training camp near Balakot inside Pakistan on February
