- Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan refused to apologise for his Operation Sindoor remarks
- Chavan claimed Indian planes were shot down and the Air Force grounded on first day of the operation
- BJP leaders accused Congress of insulting the Army and being pro-Pakistani after Chavan's comments
Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan has refused to apologise for his remark on Operation Sindoor – that India was "defeated on Day 1" of the military engagement with Pakistan in May. "I will not say sorry… haven't said anything wrong and have nothing to apologise for," he said Wednesday.
"I don't want to say anything more now… but I will not apologise. There is no need… I did not make any wrong comment," Chavan insisted, adding fuel to a fire that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will, no doubt, use to excoriate its arch-rival, the Congress, in Parliament this week.
The former Maharashtra Chief Minister kicked up a storm this week after claiming Indian military aircraft were shot down by Pak forces on the first day of Operation Sindoor. Speaking at an event in Pune, he also declared the Indian Air Force had been "completely grounded" as a result.
Chavan doubled down on those comments this morning and drew scathing responses from BJP leaders who accused the Congress of being pro-Pakistani and grasping at straws after mutiple election defeats.
'Insulting Army is hallmark of Congress'
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla led the charge and accused senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of revealing his "mindset" by not acting against party colleagues who make such comments.
"Insulting the Army has become the hallmark of the Congress... this is not just Chavan's statement. Rahul Gandhi has made similar statements... all this reflects Gandhi's mindset, which is why neither the Congress nor he acts against such leaders. These statements reveal their anti-army mentality."
"No one has the right to abuse the valour of our Army," Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh said, "Those who do so can never think of the nation's interest....It has become Congress's habit to insult our forces."
"I strongly condemn this statement," Brij Lal, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP and ex-Uttar Pradesh Police top cop, said, "Congress has always been pro-Pakistani and humiliated the country. When he goes abroad, Rahul Gandhi insults India. The whole country is watching… public will teach them a lesson."
And a third BJP leader, Brijmohan Agrawal from Chhattisgarh, said, "After repeatedly losing elections, Congress leaders have become disturbed. Giving such statements on Operation Sindoor, which the entire nation and army are proud of, is an insult to the entire country."
Congress responds
The Congress, meanwhile, has reacted swiftly to distance itself from Chavan's remarks.
Sukhdeo Bhagat, a Jharkhand Lok Sabha MP, said, "Only Prithviraj can reveal his sources... but we are proud of our army... Congress supports the government in its fight against terrorism and Pakistan."
And Pramod Tiwari, a Rajya Sabha MP, hailed the Army as a "world-conquering force", but snuck in a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding "…under the political leadership of Indira Gandhi…"
Op Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was India's armed response to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. Nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pak-occupied Kashmir were destroyed. That prompted a counter-attack that never troubled India's missile defence system.
Pak launched hundreds of armed drones and missiles at Indian military bases and civilian centres, but these were shot down or disabled; the few that struck did little to no damage.
NDTV Exclusive | Satellite Pics Show Pak Air Base Damge After Indian Strikes
Pak also lost at least four fighter jets – United States-made F-16s and Chinese J-17s – Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said in October. Precision strikes by India also disabled radar systems, Command & Control centres, and runways, hangars and other military infrastructure, he said.
RECAP | "Pak F-16, J-17 Fighter Jets Destroyed In Op Sindoor": Air Force Chief
On claims Pak shot down Indian planes, including at least one of the newly-purchased Rafales, the Air Chief Marshal was emphatic, dismissing them as propaganda to fool Pak citizens.
READ | "Barrage Of Lies": Sources On Claims By Pak Side On 'Operation Sindoor'
Pakistan claimed, and continues to do so, it shot down six Indian military aircraft, including the Rafale. However, the Pak government has not yet, so far, provided proof of that claim.
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