BJP trying to replace Ashok Stambh on army uniforms with their party logo: Derek O'Brien

Derek O'Brien said “the Armed Forces are India’s pride. We are always FOR the Armed Forces and with them. We are AGAINST this government whose expiry date is over.”

In a video shared on social media site Facebook, Trinamool Parliamentary Party Leader Derek O'Brien is seen saying “the BJP shamelessly trying to replace the Ashok Stambh on the Armed Forces’ uniform, with their party logo. India will not allow this to happen.” (Photo by Handout / PIB / AFP/ Representational/ File)

NEW DELHI: The All India Trinamool Congress party on Tuesday accused that the ruling party BJP is trying to replace the Ashok Stambh on the Armed Forces’ uniform, with their party logo. In a video shared on social media site Facebook, Trinamool Parliamentary Party leader Derek O'Brien said “the BJP shamelessly trying to replace the Ashok Stambh on the Armed Forces’ uniform, with their party logo. India will not allow this to happen.” “The Armed Forces are India’s pride. We are always FOR the Armed Forces and with them. We are AGAINST this government whose expiry date is over” he further added. He also said that no opposition party has questioned the army, the navy and the air force. Earlier, seeking to put the government on the back foot, opposition parties had on Monday latched on to BJP chief Amit Shah's claim of 250 casualties in the Indian Air Force's air strike in Pakistan's Balakot to ask how he got such top secret information. This comes amidst the Opposition claims that BJP, the party in power, is using the Pulwama terror attack and deaths of CRPF personnel for political gains for Lok Sabha elections due by May. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on had demanded evidence of the pre-emptive strike on Jaish-e- Mohammed training camps in Pakistan by the Indian Air Force. The strike came after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives. She also said that the opposition parties wanted to know the details of the operation. Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that senior Congress leaders were speaking the "language of Pakistan".  Prasad also attacked West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee. "Mamata ji, you have seen struggle. What is wrong with you?" On the day of the strike, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said a "very large number of terrorists" were killed in Balakot. On Monday, IAF chief B S Dhanoa said the Air Force does not count human casualties and it is for the government to provide details on the death toll. Government sources had said up to 350 terrorists were killed, BJP president Amit Shah later put the toll at 250 and some media reports indicated the damage was minimal.