The video footage of the September 2016 surgical strikes that government released was being used for political propaganda purposes ahead of the 2019 general elections claims former union minister Arun Shourie.
The footage was released by the government on 27th June 2018, after a stinging jab from Mr Shourie who this week called the surgical strikes against Pakistan “farzical”, or a farce. The former union minister says he had used the phrase for the government, not the army.
Mr Shourie when interviewd by NDTV told that “The way government have used the strike for propaganda purposes, for building a self-image reduces an essential instrument to a farce. A strike became a farcical strike”. Hence convincing that the decision to release the video is “all election driven”.
When Pakistani terrorists attacked an army base in Uri in Kashmir in the deadliest attack on the military. 19 soldiers were killed. The Indian troops crossed the Line of Control in September 2016 to take out terror launch pads in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Sources said the footage was released on the instructions of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Congress accused the government of seeking to take credit for the sacrifice and bravery of the armed forces. As the release of video started the word war again between BJP and Congress.
Randeep Surjewala who is a Congress spokesperson said that BJP had “shamelessly” used surgical strikes to benefit in the Uttar Pradesh assembly election. Moreover he added that “the NDA government and BJP boss Amit Shah misuse the bravery of the Army for their political benefit whenever they start losing”.
The BJP smashed back, saying the opposition party has become so desperate with its repeated losses in elections that it had been repeatedly questioning the commitment and courage of the armed forces.
Mr Shourie said he saw the government decision to release the footage shows that it had no credibility in its own perception.
Mr Shourie is not agreeing with the government’s handling of the 2016 strikes to similar strikes in the past thus he said “In the eyes of this government itself, it has no credibility. Therefore they must prove it with a video. Tomorrow they will come and prove it with a certificate from a notary public.”
The former minister, who was once an admirer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also accused the government of threatening the lives of Special Forces commandos by allowing them to be interviewed in public.
Referring to the other countries who have not allowed its special forces to be exposed elsewhere. He added that “Here we are so callous. We are demoralising the Army. They are endangering the lives of the soldiers in this way”.
Statements have been made that the surgical strikes were filmed, though the army has said it has no plans to release the footage.