PM Modi asks ministers to stop 'chest-thumping and speaking' about surgical strikes: Report

PM Narendra Modi has asked his ministers to stop ‘chest-thumping and speaking out of turn on the surgical strikes, according to a media report. Quoting sources NDTV said that PM Modi indicated in a cabinet meeting that only those who have been authorised should speak about the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army across the LoC last week.

While Pakistan is claiming that the surgical strikes never took place, Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam and Delhi CM Kejriwal had asked for proof to be shared by the government. Earlier a report in Indian Express, carrying eyewitness accounts of the strikes on the terror launch pads by people living across the LoC, said that the bodies of those killed were loaded onto trucks for secret burials.

Corroborating India's claim, they also said that a brief intense firing took place, which also destroyed makeshift buildings that housed jihadists. The eyewitnesses also provided the details of targeted locations which have not been made public by the government of India and Pakistan.

Rejecting BJP's criticism, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused it of playing politics over the anti-terror surgical strike and said why was the party "scared" when he had only asked the Prime Minister to counter the false propaganda by Pakistan. Maintaining that Aam Aadmi Party believes that surgical strikes did take place, Kejriwal said that in his video message on Tuesday he had only appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give a befitting reply. In a rare gesture, on Tuesday Kejriwal "saluted" Modi for the surgical strikes by the Army on terror launch pads across the LoC.

At the same time, he had urged the Centre to counter the smear campaign by Pakistan and international media, but BJP alleged that Kejriwal had in the garb of his statement questioned the Army's assertion on surgical strike and insulted the armed forces.

"I have supported the Prime Minister, applauded the army. I only said that Pakistan is spreading false propaganda in the world that surgical strikes did not happen. We all believe that surgical strikes took place," Kejriwal told reporters at the Jodhpur civil airport.

"Pakistan is spreading the propaganda across the world and international media is running this that surgical strikes did not take place. I had only appealed to the PM that a befitting reply should be given to Pakistan. If I said that we have to counter Pakistan's false propaganda then why is the BJP so rattled and scared? We all have to counter Pakistan's propaganda and we should all, irrespective of the party, strengthen PM's hands in this," Kejriwal said.

Claiming that Kejriwal "sought proof" on the anti-terror operation, the BJP asked him not to belittle the armed forces by getting influenced by Pakistani "propaganda". At a press conference today, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the AAP leader should answer whether he believed in the Indian Army or not. Kejriwal later retorted: "I am unhappy. Ravi Shankar ji is saying I am playing politics. Am I playing politics or they?"

"I and my party are with Narendra Modi in his every step against Pakistan and its mischiefs," said Kejriwal. 

"It is time that all the citizens and political parties are united and strengthen the hands of the prime minister against Pakistan," he said. Kejriwal later headed to Bikaner by road to meet a party worker who had lost his mother. Senior AAP leader Ashutosh said Pakistan is insulting 'Bharat Mata' and Indian army through its propaganda, but BJP is settling score with Kejriwal. "I am amazed that Ravi Shankar Prasad instead of unmasking Pak Propaganda is questioning AK. Shows BJP's bankruptcy of ideas," Ashutosh tweeted.

With agency inputs.