Many Twitter users were shocked.
Lawyer, activist Prashant Bhushan is well known for his strident anti- Modi views. Once part of Aam Aadmi Party, Prashant Bhushan has taken up several PILs against the Narendra Modi government. He is one of the petitioners who has moved review petition in the Supreme Court's Rafale judgment.
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However, few would have expected Prashant Bhushan to quote a manipulated Geo English report which misquotes PM Modi to make his point. Prashant Bhushan on Sunday tweeted:
Amazing that Modi stoops to say that Pakistan's Air Force is superior to India's! Only in order to lament the absence of Rafale jets& cover up his scandalously corrupt deal where he reduced 126 Rafales to 36, delayed delivery, scrapped Make in India & substituted HAL with Ambani! https://t.co/wIA2NMtauu
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) March 3, 2019
He said, " Amazing that Modi stoops to say that Pakistan's Air Force is superior to India's! Only in order to lament the absence of Rafale jets& cover up his scandalously corrupt deal where he reduced 126 Rafales to 36, delayed delivery, scrapped Make in India & substituted HAL with Ambani!"
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However, the fact remains if anyone goes through PM Modi's statement, he never said Pakistan's Air Force is superior to India's. PM Modi indeed lamented the fact that if Rafale was there with IAF, it could have helped significantly. But he never did a comparative analysis of the two Air Forces. Also the fact that a MiG-21 jet managed to shot down a F-16 used by PAF is sufficient enough to display that IAF has the required chops to emerge better in any dog-fight. What PM Modi said was about how Rafale would have significantly augmented IAF's strength had it been procured earlier.
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But Pakistani media gave a convenient spin to this and unfortunately Prashant Bhushan fell victim to this fake news.
Twitter users were also shocked:
He talked about technical superiority, which can be bought. Which obviously we are lacking and which our pilots compensate with skill, courage and valor.
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) March 4, 2019
Our airforce is superior to PAF in courage and skill but lacking in technology wrt our buying potential.
Seriously ? Quoting Pakistan’s TV channel ?
— Nilabh Nilottpal (@Nilottpal) March 3, 2019
Pity that a learned & senior lawyer like you believe Geo TV & propoganda of Rahul Gandhi to score brownie points against PM of India!
— Bhandari Deo (@DeePeeBee10) March 3, 2019
Despite Supreme Court clearly stating otherwise. people whose profession is law should at least respect the courts verdict.
— Kaustubh Uday Dhavse (@kdhavse) March 3, 2019
He just said rafale is superior to migs n mirages which u and Pak premis have stalled to help Pak. No wonder u r spinning this too
— Hind Desh (@DeshNM) March 4, 2019
Bhushan has faced severe pushback in the past over his controversial tweet about Pulwama suicide bomber Adil Dar. He tried to find find some non-existent nuance in the action of the youth from Pulwama.
Bhushan had tweeted: "Pulwama bomber Adil Ahmad Dar became terrorist after he was beaten by troops". It's imp to understand why so many young men in Kashmir are becoming militants&willing to die. Even US forces couldn't hold Afghanistan & Iraq after large-scale suicide attacks".
With PTI inputs
1. What did PM say actually
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While Pakistan channel conveniently misquoted Prime Minister, here's what PM had actually said:
Emphasising that New India has become "fearless" and "decisive" in the last 55 months, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday said no nation in the world can now dare to threaten it. He also added that the country is feeling the absence of Rafale fighter jets. "The entire country is saying in one voice today, 'What could have happened if we had Rafale'," he said at the annual conclave of a private news channel, adding, "India's global influence is now evident. No nation can dare threaten New India. Enemies, terrorists and facilitators are now scared of India's might. That fear is good."
PM Modi was referring to the Pulwama terror attacks and the swift retaliation rendered by the Indian Air Force by obliterating Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camps inside Pakistan.
He also addressed cynics who doubted the authenticity of the air strikes. "While opposing Modi, some elements did not bother opposing the nation," he said, "I request them not to play with country's security. In the throes of anti-Modi obsession, they should not indirectly help the enemy."
He blamed the last Congress-led government for leaving the country vulnerable, saying the India Army had demanded 1,86,000 bulletproof jackets in 2009, but the Congress government didn't bother purchasing them. "After our government came into power in 2014, more than two lakh bulletproof jackets were bought," PM Modi said.
Taking further potshots at BJP's political rival, he said those who ruled the country for many years have mastered the art of "doles" and "deals". "This culture has harmed our nation's development journey greatly," he said.
Turning the conversation back to the Rafale deal, albeit obliquely, he said, "They had so many Defence scams in their era. It began with vehicles and later graduated onto weapons, submarines, etc. In the process, the defence sector immensely suffered. Who is every dealmaker close to? Who is every middleman close to? The entire nation knows and Lutyens' Delhi surely knows."
2. Prashant Bhushan earlier landed controversy over comment on Pulwama suicide bomber
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Activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan's tweet on Pulwama suicide bomber had enraged many including top BJP leaders. Prashant Bhushan had shared an article regarding Pulwama bomber and sought to find some non-existent nuance in the action of the youth from Pulwama.
Bhushan tweeted: "Pulwama bomber Adil Ahmad Dar became terrorist after he was beaten by troops". It's imp to understand why so many young men in Kashmir are becoming militants&willing to die. Even US forces couldn't hold Afghanistan & Iraq after large-scale suicide attacks".
This seeking to 'understand' a terrorist, who have killed 40 of India's CRPF jawans didn't go down well with most. BJP's firebrand leader Meenakshi Lekhi who is also a spokesperson of the party slammed Bhushan and asked the Bar Council to take action. Here's what she said:
Shameful! Insulting the brave hearts and indulging in false propaganda. If insults made people terrorists then unjust treatment meted out to Kashmiri Hindus would have produced millions of terrorists. Bar Council should take cognisance of such provocative acts Jai Hind https://t.co/J8wjrU0N1c
— Meenakashi Lekhi (@M_Lekhi) February 16, 2019
BJP MP said, " Shameful! Insulting the brave hearts and indulging in false propaganda. If insults made people terrorists then unjust treatment meted out to Kashmiri Hindus would have produced millions of terrorists. Bar Council should take cognisance of such provocative acts Jai Hind".
For context. Kashmiri Pandits had to leave the Valley in huge numbers fearing violence in 1990. Now, only a handful of them live in the Valley and despite assurance from successive governments, they have not been able to return.
3. Modi haters are now India haters, says PM Narendra Modi
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the opposition parties of "helping Pakistan and harming India" on Friday with their statements and also slammed them for suspecting India's fight against terror. He also asked them to clarify whether they believe in "our armed forces or believe those forces who support terrorism on our soil?"
The Prime Minister was addressing a rally in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu and without naming any opposition leader, he said that it was sad that a few political parties "suspect our fight against terror".
Modi's comments come two days after 21 opposition parties met and put out a statement accusing the ruling BJP of "blatant politicisation of the sacrifices of armed forces". "National security must transcend narrow political considerations…," the parties said. "The leaders observed that the Prime Minister has, regrettably, not convened an all-party meeting as per established practice in our democracy."
"They are the same people whose statements are being happily quoted in the parliament of Pakistan and on Pakistan's radio," he admonished the political leaders casting aspersions on the authenticity of the air strikes. "I want to ask them: Do you support our armed forces or suspect them? Do they believe our armed forces or they believe those forces who support terrorism on our soil?"
He marvelled at how the entire nation had come together in support of the armed forces, however, was disappointed that cynics were driven by a political agenda. "Sadly, a few parties, guided by Modi hatred have started hating India. No wonder they suspect the armed forces. The world supports India's fight against terror, but a few parties suspect it," PM Modi said.
His message to these parties was: "Modi will come and go, India will remain. Please stop weakening India to strengthen your own politics. In matters of defence and national security, we are Indians first and Indian only."
4. Opposition's words brought smile on Pakistan's face: Amit Shah
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BJP president Amit Shah Sunday hit out at opposition parties, alleging they "raised doubts" on the courage of the armed forces and their demand for proof of the IAF air strike brought a "smile on Pakistan's face".
"Opposition leaders do not know what happened. Mamata di asks for proof. Rahul baba says it is being politicised. Akhilesh asks for a probe. Be ashamed that your statements have brought a smile on Pakistan's face," Shah said.
"Pakistan smiled only after the press conferences of the opposition leaders where they raised questions on the courage of the armed forces," Shah claimed.
"We can understand that you do not have the courage of Modi ji, but if you cannot support and praise what Modi ji and the armed forces did, then at least keep quiet," he said.
