Congress leaders Udit Raj and Imran Masood on Sunday questioned the timing of Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh’s statement on Operation Sindoor, linking it to the ongoing “vote theft” controversy.
Udit Raj questions missed opportunity on PoJK
Udit Raj said while the IAF’s feat was commendable, the timing of the disclosure was suspicious. Speaking to ANI, he said, “This is definitely good news. But why is he saying this now when the matter of vote theft is coming up? When Pakistan’s situation worsened, the BJP should have fulfilled its promise and taken PoK. Why was PoK not taken?”
The Congress leader repeated his charge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “betrayed the nation” by not reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) when the opportunity arose. “Pakistan’s condition was bad, so we should not have declared a ceasefire on Trump’s saying and should have taken PoK,” Raj alleged.
Imran Masood accuses BJP of diversion
Congress MP Imran Masood echoed similar concerns, alleging that the IAF chief’s remarks might be intended to shift focus from the Election Commission controversy. “Is this being said to shift the narrative and hide the allegations against the Election Commission? … We have complete confidence in our army. But despite their courage, why has PoK not been taken?” Masood asked.
Air Chief Marshal’s statement on Operation Sindoor
The controversy began after Air Chief Marshal AP Singh disclosed that during Operation Sindoor, India downed at least five Pakistani fighter jets and one large aircraft at a distance of around 300 kilometres. He described it as the “largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill.”
The Congress leaders, however, insisted that while the military’s achievement was beyond question, the government’s political handling of the situation, particularly its failure to act on PoJK, amounted to a betrayal of national interest.
