'It has become part of Pakistan's DNA to lie' :Former army chief J J Singh

Expressing his disappointment over the controversy surrounding last week's surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC), former army chief.

General (Retd.) Joginder Jaswant Singh on Wednesday said the democratic fabric of the nation gets weakened when such issues are politicised.

General (Retd.) Singh urged all to stand united on the issues of national interest.

Commenting on the demands for proof regarding the surgical strikes, the ex-Army Chief said, "I don't believe anybody has the right to question the fact that we (Indian Army) conducted the operation and that it should show them the evidence."

The former army chief's comments come in the wake of growing demands from some Congress leaders, including P. Chidambaram and Sanjay Nirupam, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for proof of India's surgical strikes across the border.

 

"When our armed forces make a claim, there should be no doubt on its authenticity," he stated.

The ex-army chief further said Pakistan is a nation, which doesn't hesitate to lie, adding one should trust the armed forces.

"Anybody to politicize such military operations is not a good thing to do. In fact, it weakens our democratic fabric. Every party must be together when such challenges are faced by our country and by our armed forces. Our leadership has been very mature, very responsible and their reactions have been telling Pakistan to wake up and not allow such things to happen and when they happen then naturally there has to be certain remedial measures taken by us," he added.

When asked to comment on the Congress' claim that the Indian Army had conducted surgical strikes in the past as well, General (Retd.) Singh said: "Can't say yes, can't say no."

Commenting on Pakistan's claim that no surgical strike took place in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir area, he said, "It has become part of Pakistan's DNA to lie and be in denial. They were exposed to the world when Osama bin Laden was killed by the US Navy Seals in Abbottabad."

The Congress Party yesterday claimed that surgical strikes were conducted thrice during the former UPA regime but the then government did not make loud claims in the interest of national security.

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.

In a rare gesture, Kejriwal had on Monday "saluted" Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the surgical strikes by the Army on terror launch pads across the LoC.

At the same time, he urged the Centre to counter the smear campaign by Pakistan and international media, but BJP alleged that Kejriwal had in the garb of his statement questioned the Army's "assertion" on surgical strike and "insulted" the armed forces.

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Tuesday created an uproar by terming the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army as "fake".

Another Congress leader and former union minister P. Chidambaram had asked for release of video recording of the military action as proof.