Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal today held the Narendra Modi government responsible for the "deteriorating" internal and external security situations.
"The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is responsible for deterioration in internal security and increase in the external security threats to the country," he said.
Referring to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, "It reflected the total failures of the Centre as well as the state government as over 203 Jawans have martyred, 92 civilians were killed in the state during this period."
"The duplicity of the BJP for the sake of power has been totally exposed.
"The BJP forgot the slogans made during elections and betrayed their electorate, as a result there is strong resentment and anger against the present dispensation in the state. There seems no headway to the deteriorated security situation in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Listing various "failures and U-turns" of the Modi government, he alleged that the BJP was resorting to "self praise and chest thumping" to cover up its failures.
Badal was speaking at a media briefing which is part of the Congress' series of campaigns to "expose" the claims of the Centre.
He claimed under the Modi regime, the country witnessed 172 terror attacks, including 12 major incidents in the past 21 months.
"In three years, 578 jawans martyred and 871 civilian killed. Out of which 203 jawans martyred in Jammu and Kashmir," Badal said.
He alleged that while the BJP indulges in empty phrases, the security situation on the border and in the country is alarming.
Questioning the success of foreign policy, he said India's old ally Russia has lifted the embargo on sale of arms to Pakistan and signed a military co-operation agreement with it.
He claimed that Pakistan has violated ceasefire 1,343 in the last three years which shows the failures of "Saree-Shawl diplomacy" of the Modi government.
Referring to defence preparedness, he said against the demand of 45 squadrons, the IAF fighter fleet has fallen to the record lowest of 32 squadrons.
After cancelling the UPA's purchase of 126 Rafale aircrafts, the BJP government had announced purchase of 36 Rafales in 2016 but till date not a single fighter plane has been delivered or the price fixed, Badal claimed.
He alleged the Congress had approved raising of Rs 64,678 crore investment on the mountain strike corps along the china borders with 90,274 additional soldiers, but this is in lurch too.
The armed forces are facing a shortage of 9,242 officers, 25,472 JCOs and 52,000 Jawans.
"But our defence budget has been drastically reduced besides allocated amount remained unspent in three years," Badal said.
The minister said against the demand of armed forces for over Rs 1,32,597 crores in 2014-15, amount of Rs 94,587 crores was allocated while 12,622 crores remained unspent.
"These figures explain the defence preparedness and the robustness of the Modi government's defence policies, in the wake of increased external threats," he said.
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