New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi ripped into the Congress Tuesday over its lack of support after the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, India's military response. "We had the support of the world but, sadly, not from the Congress," he said as Parliament wrapped up a two-day debate on Pahalgam.
The PM's criticism followed comments by the Congress' P Chidambaram, who earlier this week questioned the government's statement that the Pahalgam terrorists were from Pakistan and that the attack, which killed 26 people, most of whom were civliians, was orchestrated by the Pak deep state.
It also followed a combative speech by the Congress' Rahul Gandhi just minutes earlier, in which he pointed to United States President Donald Trump claiming credit for the India-Pak ceasefire and accused the government of having yielded control of Indian foreign policy to the Americans.
"There has been a lot of discussion on foreign policy and the global support India received after Pahalgam and Op Sindoor... but the truth is no country in the world stopped India from acting to protect itself. In fact, out of 193 countries only three supported Pakistan," the Prime Minister said.
"India got support of the entire world... no world leader asked India to stop... but it is unfortunate the Congress did not support the valour of our soldiers," the Prime Minister intoned, also hit out at his arch-rival for "attacking me... for looking for politics in the death of the innocents in the Pahalgam attack".
"After April 22... within three-four days... they were saying 'kahan gayi 56-inch ka seena' (a reference to the opposition's '56-inch chest' jibe at the PM) and 'Modi has failed'... their statements were demoralising the forces. They don't trust the forces and that is why they were questioning Op Sindoor."
Mr Modi was relentless in his attack on the Congress, also claiming the opposition party had 'changed its tune after realising the people of India were in complete support of the armed forces'."India's armed forces conducted surgical strikes... and the Congress sought proof from the armed forces," the PM raged, referring to comments by some other opposition leaders, including ex-Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, about the lack of photographic evidence of the precision strikes against terror camps and bases in Pakistan in 2016 and 2019, after attacks in J&K's Uri and Pulwama.
Rahul Gandhi later attempted damage control; "...the armed forces do a job exceptionally well."
Rahul Gandhi's Deterrance Jab
Before the PM began his speech Rahul Gandhi critiqued the government for its handling of the Pahalgam terror attack and Op Sindoor, stating the Modi administration lacked "political will".