
India has blamed the attack on an Army base in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri on Pakistan. (AP)
Highlights
- Madhav, BJP in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir, strongly condemns attack
- Home Minister Rajnath Singh calls Pakistan 'terrorist state'
- Congress criticises Modi government for handling of terror incidents
The deadliest terror attack on a military base in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, in which 17 soldiers were killed, provoked strong political reactions on Sunday as the government directly blamed Pakistan.
Around 30 soldiers have been injured in the attack that started at 5 am when heavily armed terrorists entered an army base in Uri and started throwing grenades and firing. The terrorists were killed in a three hour gunbattle.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the attack, promising that "those behind the despicable attack will not go unpunished", a senior leader of the ruling BJP, Ram Madhav, recommended a "complete jaw for one tooth".
Mr Madhav, the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir in-charge, also said that "restraint in the face of repeated terror attacks betrays inefficiency and incompetence. India should prove otherwise."
The opposition Congress tweeted a comment by its former minister Jitendra Singh, who was criticized by many for jump-starting a political blame-game at this hour.
Modi Govt should stop diplomacy of sarees, biryanis, sweets, shawls & should instead send a hard hitting message to Pakistan: Jitendra Singh
- INC India (@INCIndia) September 18, 2016
Earlier, Congress president Sonia Gandhi had described the attack as a "deplorable affront on our national conscience".