Release video on surgical strikes, demands Chidambaram

As the Congress asked the Narendra Modi government to expose Pakistan's false propaganda on surgical strike by Indian army across the LoC, its senior leader P. Chidambaram on Tuesday asked for the release of video recording of the military action as proof.

He said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had deliberately taken political ownership of the military action (across the Line of Control on September 28-29 night), unlike what the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.

"Having taken the political ownership for the cross-border action and having publicised it so much, it is only to be expected that people will demand that the video (of the surgical strikes) be released. So, I am sure the government has thought through about the consequences of taking the political ownership for a purely military action."

 

"... let the government respond to the demand for releasing the videos," the former Union minister said.

"Such cross-border pre-emptive actions have taken place in the past. At least one such strike has been confirmed by the then army chief General Bikram Singh in January 2013. There have been others, but I don't want to get into details," Chidambaram told CNNNews18.

Chidambaram attributed non-publicising of military action in the past to the UPA's "policy of strategic restraint".

"Our government took the call that cross-border action should be a military call and it is for the (army) generals to say what they want to say. We did not take political ownership of military action. This government has taken that responsibility."

"We pursued the correct strategy -- our policy was strategic restraint. It is, of course, the privilege of every government to adapt or modify policies. If the NDA government modified or altered the polices of strategic restraint, it's their call; they have to face the consequences," he said.

Meanwhile, on the question of Pakistan's denial on the surgical strikes, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said: "There has never been a reason to raise a question or doubt the statements by the Director General of Military Operations on the surgical strikes. The government needs to call the Pakistani bluff and false propaganda by using all information, evidence and instruments at their disposal."

--IANS

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