So, finally the truth is out. An RTI response has busted the Congress party’s claim about surgical strikes during the UPA Government. The Congress party had made fake claims that it had carried out three surgical strikes during its reign and previous governments had also carried out such operations. Congress spokesperson, Randeep Surjewala, just few days after the surgical strikes had said, ‘We are proud that even in the past our forces have successfully conducted such surgical strikes on numerous occasions, particularly on September 1, 2011, July 28, 2013, and January 14, 2014, giving a befitting reply to the enemy. In its maturity, wisdom and in the interest of national security, the Congress Government avoided making loud claims for the effective response and action of the Indian Army. Not just the Congress government, the previous governments too had conducted surgical strikes.’
However, according to the Republic World news report, in response to an RTI inquiry, the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army has said that no surgical strikes took place before September 2016.
RTI mainly asked three questions to which DGMO responded
1.) How many surgical strikes were carried out from 2004-2014? (Provide me with year wise list with country name)
2.) How many surgical strikes on Pakistan were done by Indian Army after September 2014 and how many of them were successful?
3.) How many of our brave soldiers have lost their lives in such missions?
On record response by DGMO was:
1.) Indian Army conducted surgical strikes along the LoC on September 29, 2016
2.) No Indian soldier lost his life during the mission.
3.) This section does not hold any data pertaining to surgical strikes, if carried out before September 29, 2016.
On 29 September, 2016, eleven days after the Uri attack, where 19 Jawans had been martyred by Pakistani terrorists, the Indian army conducted surgical strikes against terrorist launch pads in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), said that it had received “very credible and specific information” about “terrorist teams” who were preparing to “carry out infiltration and conduct terrorist strikes inside Jammu and Kashmir and in various metros in other states”. Indian media reported the casualty figures variously from 35 to 50. Congress party and AAP politicized the surgical strikes and tried to undermine the Indian Army. Congress party leader, Sanjay Nirupam went to the extent of calling claims of the strikes as fake. Kejriwal asked for the video proofs of the strikes.
In London, when PM Modi was asked about the strikes while addressing ‘Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath’, he responded, ‘Our jawaans were attacked as they slept in their tents. Will anyone want that I stay quiet? Should bricks not be replied with stones? That’s why we did Surgical Strikes. I am proud of my Army and my Jawans.” He further added, “The plan that was formed, it was carried out 100% without a single mistake, and they returned before sunrise.” In a strong warning to Pakistan, he said,”Terrorism exporters should know that India has changed.”
Now, it would be interesting to see whether the Congress party accepts the fact that it lied about conducting the strikes.