New Delhi: As Congress leaders continue to demand proof of the surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on the intervening night of September 28-29, the grand old party on Wednesday released three dates on which similar Army operation were conducted during UPA-II regime.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala revealed that during Manmohan Singh's tenure the forces successfully carried out strikes on numerous occasions, particularly on September 1, 2011, July 28, 2013, and January 14, 2014.
In an apparent dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress leader said the then UPA government did not make loud claims in the interest of national security.
In an attempt to take a moral high ground over the BJP, Surjewala said: "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, which had the full support of the political leadership."
At the same time Surjewala said party disapproves with Sanjay Nirupam's views on the Army operation along the Line of Control.
The Congress spokesperson asked the BJP to stop exploiting the Army's operation for political benefits. "We urge the government to stop politicising the sacrifices and bravery of Indian soldiers for myopic political gains,” he said.
Surjewala's reaction comes amidst demands of some Congress leaders that the Modi government should present proof about the cross-LoC raids to counter the smear campaign by Pakistan.
Congress leaders Sanjay Nirupam, P Chidamabram have asked for the release of video recording of the military action as proof.
Nirupam created an uproar by terming the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army as "fake".
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is understood to have cautioned his Cabinet colleagues yesterday against creating a hysteria over the military action against terror launch pads across the LoC.
The Army conducted surgical strikes on seven terror launch pads along the LoC on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, inflicting "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from PoK.
