New Delhi: Congress on Thursday slammed Union Ministers for making "boastful and jingoistic" statements on the Army operation in Myanmar.
It also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give them "mentoring and counselling".
Addressing the press, party spokesman Anand Sharma said that Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has "foot-in-mouth" disease and is in the "habit" of making "irresponsible" statements.
"There should be sobriety and maturity. Jingoism and boastful claims are not going to help the operations of India's special forces," he added, as per PTI.
Sharma, who has been a senior Minister during the UPA rule, also advised National Security Advisor to work and speak with restraint and said that his style of functioning raised serious questions of propriety.
"I would request the PM to give them mentoring and counselling. PM should restrain his ministers so there is no repeat," he said.
The Congress spokesman's refrain was that in matters of operations by Special forces and those concerning India's neighbours, there should be sobriety and maturity in the statements and actions of Union Ministers and others concerned.
"Those who should be taking care of national security are busy having sponsored stories in the newspapers and photographs about what they have been doing in Manipur. What they propose to do in the coming days," he told reporters, in an apparent attack on the NSA.
Sharma's attack came on a day Defence Minister Manohar Parrkiar attributed the Myanmar operation to "change in mindset". Taking a dig at Pakistan, the Minister said those who "fear India's new posture" have already started reacting.
"If the thinking pattern changes, lot of things change. You have seen for the last 2-3 days. A simple action against insurgents has changed the mindset of the full security scenario in the country," Parrikar had said.
The surgical strike inside Myanmar was carried out by a crack team of about 70 commandos of the Indian Army who finished the operation within 40 minutes, leaving 38 Naga insurgents dead and seven injured yesterday.
The decision of "hot pursuit" was taken hours after the Naga militants killed 18 soldiers in an ambush in Chandel area of Manipur on June 4 and clearance was obtained from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the night of June 7, soon after his return from Bangladesh, said sources privy to the details, as per PTI.
The commandos of 21 Para, equipped with assault rifles, rocket launchers, grenades and night vision goggles, were air dropped from Dhruv helicopters, just inside the Indian territory near the border with Myanmar, security sources said.
Once on the ground, the contingent of the special forces split into two groups and headed for two camps being run by NSCN(K) and KYKL, who are believed to be responsible for the deadly ambush on June 4, they said.
The teams trekked through the thick jungles for at least five kilometers before they reached the training camps.
"Each of the two teams were further divided into two sub-groups. While one was responsible for the direct assault, the second formed an outer ring to prevent any of insurgents from running and escaping," the sources said.
The actual operation (hitting the camp and destroying it) took about 40 minutes. Not only did the commandos kill those present at the camps in gun fight, during which rocket launchers were also used, one of the camp was also set afire.
Sources, qouting ground reports, said 38 militants were killed and seven others were injured in the strike.
Thermal imagery was also used to track the operation about which Myanmarese authorities were kept in the loop, they said.
BJP hits out at Cong for criticism on Myanmar operation
Meanwhile, the BJP today hit out at Congress for criticising the government on the Myanmar operation, saying it was speaking Pakistan's "language" instead of playing the role of a constructive Opposition.
"Congress is in depression ever since it lost Lok Sabha elections. It is gripped with negative thoughts and criticises everything," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said.
"Congress should accept the reality and not speak the language of Pakistan, as done by it in the past. It should instead play the role of a constructive opposition and start talking in national interest and for the country's security," he added.
He was reacting to Congress leaders' attack on Union Ministers for making "boastful and jingoistic" statements on the Myanmar operation.
Sharma said that instead of criticising the government, Congress should have congratulated the armed forces for their action in killing Naga infiltrators and should appreciate government's intent to fight terror.
Asking Congress not to politicise the issue, he said the opposition party should have an introspection of its "mistakes" committed during the UPA's 10-year rule.
"There is a strong leadership in place now and it will not repeat those mistakes. Through this operation, there is a clear message that if anyone tries to play with India, death will beseech the enemies," the BJP leader said.
"The Myanmar attack is just a beginning. There will be similar actions whenever anyone tries to play with India's security and challenges it," he said, while asking Congress to refrain from making "irresponsible" statements.
(With PTI inputs)
