'You have become poster boys of Pakistan': PM Modi blasts opposition leaders for seeking airstrike proof

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lashed out at the opposition leaders for raising questions over the Indian Air Force's air strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed's terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot.

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 05 Mar 2019 06:36 PM (IST)

'You have become poster boys of Pakistan': PM Modi blasts opposition leaders for seeking proof of IAF strikes 'You have become poster boys of Pakistan': PM Modi blasts opposition leaders for seeking airstrike proof

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI Photo

PM Modi said India gave a befitting reply to the Pulwama attack by entering the den of terrorists in Pakistan.

He said Pakistan has been conveyed the message that if it doesn't improve, it knows the consequences it will have to face.

Taking a dig at the opposition leaders, Modi said the air strike happened in Pakistan, some of those sitting in India were hit by it.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lashed out at the opposition leaders for raising questions over the Indian Air Force's air strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed's terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot. While addressing a public gathering in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar, Modi said the air strike happened in Pakistan, but "some of those sitting in India were hit by it". Taking a swipe at attempts of the opposition to stitch a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) against the BJP, Modi said its leaders are doing 'mahamilavat' (high adulteration) in Pakistan's favour. "These 'mahamilavati' persons have become poster boys of Pakistan by terming it as an ambassador of peace. They are misleading people of the country and trying to demoralise our armed forces by asking for proofs of the IAF air strike," Modi said. Without naming senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh, he said a leader termed the Pulwama attack as an "accident" and dubbed slain al-Qaeda terrorist Osama bin Laden as an "ambassador of peace". ALSO READ: Defence Minister breaks silence on Balakot casualty figure "The party which ruled our country for decades is now questioning the ability of our brave forces. Especially a leader from MP. Today he said the Pulwama terror attack was an accident. This is their mentality. He is the same person who gave Pakistan a clean chit during 26/11 Mumbai attacks," Modi said. He said Pakistan has been conveyed the message that if it doesn't improve, it knows the consequences it will have to face, Modi said. "India gave a befitting reply to Pulwama attack by entering den of terrorists. We have told them (Pakistan), if they don't improve, they know what will happen to them," he said. The lack of clarity over the Balakot issue is rapidly snowballing into a political issue with opposition leaders, including from the Congress, asking for a statement. Sources said up to 350 terrorists were killed the IAF strikes, BJP president Amit Shah put the toll at 250, some media reports indicated the damage was minimal and opposition leaders clamoured for clarity. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the government has already confirmed its stand with a statement by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on February 26. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had not given any casualty figure in the airstrike and he had only given a statement, which was the government's "position", Sitharaman said. Gokhale had last Tuesday said the non-military and pre-emptive strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training camp in Balakot had killed "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders.

Published at : 05 Mar 2019 06:32 PM (IST)

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