The Congress party, in retaliation to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s constant mentions of military successes during campaigning, revealed the details of six surgical strikes across the border into Pakistan that were carried out under the UPA government between 2008 and 2014.
At a press conference in Delhi, Congress leader Rajiv Shukla listed the dates and specific locations of the military operations that were not publicly disclosed earlier.
ANI reported that the first strike was conducted on June 19, 2008, in Bhattal Sector in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch. The second was carried out between August 30 and September 1, 2011, in Sharda sector across the Neelam River Valley in Kel.
Rajiv Shukla, Congress: 6 surgical strikes were conducted during Manmohan Singh govt. One was conducted on June 19, 2008 in Bhattal Sector in J&K's Poonch, one from Aug 30-September 1, 2011 in Sharda Sector across Neelam River Valley in Kel (1/2) pic.twitter.com/YrIrzSSIhq
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2019
The third surgical strike took place on January 6, 2013, at Sawan Patra check-post. The fourth strike occurred between July 27 and July 28, 2013, at Nazapir Sector. The fifth strike happened on August 6, 2013, at Neelam Valley, while the sixth one was carried out on January 14, 2014.
Rajiv Shukla, Congress: One surgical strike was carried out on January 6, 2013 at Sawan Patra Checkpost; one on July 27 & July 28, 2013 at Nazapir Sector; August 6, 2013 at Neelam Valley; & one on January 14, 2014. (2/2) https://t.co/NMJWyuv8SL
— ANI (@ANI) May 2, 2019
Also Read: ‘Multiple Surgical Strikes Took Place During Our Tenure’: Dr Manmohan Singh
Earlier, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also said, “Our armed forces were always given a free hand to operationally respond to every threat. Multiple surgical strikes took place during our tenure too.”
Slamming the BJP’s politicisation of army during the election season Singh added, “For us, military operations were meant for strategic deterrence… than to be used for vote-garnering exercises.”