In a major embarrassment to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Union Minister SS Ahluwalia suggested that terrorists were not killed in the Balakot strike as the BJP didn’t want any “human casualty”.
According to a report published in The Telegraph, Ahluwalia made the remark while speaking to reporters in Siliguri earlier last week. “I have seen the reports of the Indian media as well as those of the international media… I have also seen Modiji. After that incident (airstrikes), he was speaking at a public meeting in Churu (Rajasthan). Did he say that 300 people got killed? Have any of the spokespersons of the BJP said so? Has Amit Shah said so, anywhere?” he said.
Further, explaining why the step was taken, the minister added, “There has been no damage because I have dropped a bomb next to your house to prove that I can destroy in this manner… It was necessary to send out this message. Despite your surveillance and security, I can reach your house, identify the location and can destroy it. We did not want to have any human casualty.”
Also read: Nirmala Sitharaman Was Not Aware of Balakot Strikes, Suggests Subramanian Swamy
The video was shared by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday, March 2.
Minister of State in Modi’s cabinet, SS Ahluwalia is saying @narendramodi or @AmitShah never claimed that our #AirStrikes killed 300+ Terrorists & we didnt want any “Human Casualties”. Is the Govt now backtracking from its claims that they took out a Terrorist Camp in Pakistan? pic.twitter.com/nstgsWF6sZ
— CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) March 2, 2019
CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury reacted to the statement saying, “So much for all the lies the government has been feeding.”
Modi’s minister says that no damage at all done at all by Balakot bombing, and he says it on camera. So much for all the lies govt has been feeding. Also, Modi’s petty politicisation of national security continues to get India humiliated globally. It is a shame what he is doing. pic.twitter.com/ZfScK42KQN
— Sitaram Yechury (@SitaramYechury) March 3, 2019
Congress social media in charge Divya Spandana also took to Twitter to point out that Deccan Herald had published an article on Ahluwalia’s statement, and later deleted it.
Union Minister SS Ahluwalia @SSAhluwaliaMP of BJP said that the army never killed 300 terrorists. But now the article has disappeared from Deccan Herald.
Bring it back @DeccanHerald pic.twitter.com/j37GjF0OyQ
— Divya Spandana/Ramya (@divyaspandana) March 3, 2019
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