On the eve of third anniversary of the dastardly Pulwama terror attack, Telangana CM K Chandrashekhar Rao questioned the Surgical Strikes done by the Indian Armed Forces that was carried out in Balakot to eliminate the terror camps.
While responding to a question on Assam CM’s statement on KCR not reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s statement casting doubts on the air strikes, he said, “There is nothing wrong with what Mr Rahul Gandhi asking for proof of surgical strike. What was wrong? Even now I am asking. Let the government of India show. It is their responsibility. There are apprehensions amongst people. BJP makes false propaganda. That is why people are asking for proof. In democracy you are not a monarch, not a king.”
Responding to the questions posed by the opposition leaders, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said “On the anniversary of Pulwama attack, opposition has again insulted our martyrs by questioning the surgical strike. In attempt to prove their loyalty to Gandhi family, they’ve betrayed the Army. My loyalty is with the army. Abuse me all your life, I don’t care.”
On this day three years ago, 40 CRPF jawans were martyred in one of the bloodiest terror attacks on Indian security forces in the country’s history.
On its route from Jammu to Srinagar, a convoy of 70 CRPF trucks carrying 2500 soldiers was attacked by a high-intensity IED bomb. A vehicle carrying explosives slammed into a bus carrying soldiers. It resulted in an explosion, killing 40 CRPF troops from the 76th Battalion on the spot and injuring many more. The news of the deaths of 40 CRPF officers brought the entire country to a halt.
The terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), based in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack. They also posted a video of the Islamic terrorist Adil Ahmad Dar, a 22-year-old Kakapora resident who had joined the outfit a year before.
In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that Pakistan was responsible for assisting terrorist attacks and that JeM founder Maulana Masood Azhar had been “given the freedom to target India.”
Following the attack, the relations between India and Pakistan, which were never that good, began to deteriorate. India did revoke the status of the most favored nation of Pakistan and raised customs duty to 200% on products that were imported from Pakistan.
Alongside that, the central government urged the Financial Action Task Force to put Pakistan on their blacklist as they were explicitly involved in terror-related activities. Days after that terror attack, India did airstrikes on terrorist camps in Balakot which reportedly killed nearly 400 terrorists and destroyed many camps used for training and as launch pads for terrorists.
Soon after the airstrikes, several opposition leaders asked for proof of the strikes. Leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee, and Akhilesh Yadav sought proof from the government.
Never forgive, never forget
Remembering the martyrs in the attack, several leaders including Prime Minister Modi paid homage to the soldiers who lost their lives in the attack. “I pay homage to all those martyred in Pulwama on this day in 2019 and recall their outstanding service to our nation. Their bravery and supreme sacrifice motivates every Indian to work towards a strong and prosperous country.” PM Modi wrote on Twitter.
Indian armed forces also paid their tributes to the martyrs.
J&K Lieutenant Governor took to Twitter and wrote “The nation will forever be grateful to our brave soldiers of @crpfindia and their families. We are firmly resolved to eliminate menace of terrorism.”
Back in 2019, too, many politicians, including Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and others had questioned the Balakot Air Strikes and cast aspersions on the Indian Armed Forces.