As bug zappers are to mosquitos in a room, Congress and its lies are similarly sounding a clang on being caught out in public sphere every living minute of this election. The latest ‘casualty’ of this fake narrative is on surgical strikes which Congress honchos claim occurred numerous times during UPA 1 and 2 but which now have been swatted out of the window by none other than three former chiefs of army staff (COAS), two of them from that very UPA era.
In a co-ordinated propaganda earlier this week, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave an interview to Hindustan Times and later party stalwarts like Rajeev Shukla repeated the lie, claiming six surgical strikes were done under UPA 1 and 2 (2004-2014).
General Vikram Singh, chief of army staff during 2012-2014, booted the hood of lie into the ground by asking a simple question during his interview to India Today: “Has army made any such claim (of surgical strikes during UPA 1 and 2)? If no, then it’s mere hearsay.
“Yes, there were attempts made before. But it’s mere hearsay, people spread rumours, these type of things go on as posturing,” stated Gen. Vikram Singh.
“These surgical strikes (under Modi regime) have been planned well; they waited for the opportunity, they selected the right kind of target to make sure it gives right (amount) of pain to Pakistan; the operation was kept in the tactical domain and it has gone against the terrorists and not Pakistani army”, stated Gen. Vikram Singh as he laid out the reasons why they are called surgical strikes.
Another former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Ved Malik (1997-200) has lost no time to rubbish the Congress claim. “I cannot think of any such incidents where political leadership has asked armed forces to carry out such a strike or give assent to such plans by armed forces—except once in 1984: to pre-empt Pakistan army and occupy Soltoro range in Siachen sector”.
General Vijay Kumar Singh, (2010-2012) now that he is also a Minister of State of Indian Union, was understandably caustic. “Congress has a habit of lying. Will you please let me know which `so-called surgical strike’ are you attributing to my tenure as COAS. Am sure you must have hired some Coupta to invent another story”.
Coupta is generally referred to senior journalist Shekhar Gupta on social media for his alleged proximity to Congress high command.
It is pertinent to note here that after the terrorist attack of 26/11 in Mumbai, the political class simply made the call to not do much against Pakistan. The Army always works as an extension of the government in power. While the Army may have been ready to cross the border and inflict massive damages in Pakistan, the political will, during the Congress regime was painfully missing. Now that the Modi government has decided to take a muscular stand against Pakistan, it is petty political gains that makes Congress whine and wince.
Interestingly, on one hand, Congress slams the Modi government for taking a muscular stand against Pakistan and often says that talks are the only way forward. On the other hand, Congress lackeys want to lie to the nation and tell us that they too conducted surgical strikes during their tenure. The reason for this chicanery is simple: They will say or do just about anything in the hopes that it will help them garner votes and Manmohan Singh is no better. The only problem? The nation is wiser.
