Congress leader and friend of Rahul Gandhi defended his controversial statement against Balakot airstrike and said that he said the truth and was entitled to question the Indian Airforce! According to reports, Certain Congress leaders also raised eyebrows over his remark, as did Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah, including the BJP party leadership.
ANI reported that “Few weeks ago I said something about Balakot, immediately the PM started tweeting, the head of BJP went wild, called a press conference. Congress leaders started calling me and asking why I said that… I said: what did I say? I said the truth,” Pitroda said while addressing a public gathering today.
Pitroda also claimed. “I said the truth, I asked a question and I’m entitled to ask a question. Just because I asked a question, you can’t label me that I’m not a nationalist… Who are you to ask me? That’s when you need courage.”
Sam Pitroda, Indian Overseas Congress Chief: I said the truth, I asked a question and I'm entitled to ask a question. Just because I asked a question, you can't label me that I'm not a nationalist, Who are you to ask me? That's when you need courage. https://t.co/NcFKhOFNk1
— ANI (@ANI) April 20, 2019
AS REPORTED Y TIMES NOWPitroda in March sought from the Indian Air Force to prove that the death toll in the air strike was 300. Shortly after his statements, PM Modi hit out at the Congress leader and called him ‘loyal courtier of Congress’ who admitted that ‘Congress was unwilling to respond to forces of terror’.
“Loyal courtier of Congress’ royal dynasty admits what the nation already knew- Congress was unwilling to respond to forces of terror. This is a New India- we will answer terrorists in a language they understand and with interest!” Modi said in his tweet.
Loyal courtier of Congress’ royal dynasty admits what the nation already knew- Congress was unwilling to respond to forces of terror.
This is a New India- we will answer terrorists in a language they understand and with interest! https://t.co/Mul4LIbKb5
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 22, 2019
“If they (IAF) killed 300, it’s ok. All I am saying is can you give me more facts and prove it,” Pitroda said in the interview to news agency ANI.
Indian Air Force fighter jets on February 26 launched a major offensive against terrorist organisations using Pakistani soil to carry out terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and annihilated training camps of the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot that falls in the Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa region, along with Muzaffarabad and Chakothi in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The terror group is responsible for the dastardly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on February 14 where 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
The Indian attack was carried out by 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets, ably aided by Indian Sukhoi jets that provided cover throughout the operation, around 3:30 am. The payload dropped by the Indian Air Force weighed as much as 1000 kilogrammes.
The very next morning, Pakistan Air Force jets entered Indian airspace from Nowshera sector but were immediately sent back by IAF jets on February 27.
