New Delhi: Expressing disappointment over demands from political leaders to provide the proof of last week's surgical strikes across the Line of Control, former Army chief General Joginder Jaswant Singh, Tuesday, said when such things are politicised, the democratic fabric of the nation gets weakened.
Singh urged everyone to stand united on the issues related to national interest.
Further commenting on the demands for proof regarding surgical strikes, the ex-Army chief said, “I don’t believe anybody has the right to question the fact that we (Indian Army) conducted the operation and that it should show them the evidence.
The retired Army chief's comments come in the wake of growing demands from some Congress leaders like P Chidambaram, Sanjay Nirupam and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for proof of India's surgical strikes across the border.
“When our Armed Forces make a claim, there should be no doubt on its authenticity,” the ex-Army chief categorically stated.
The ex-Army chief further said, Pakistan is a nation, which doesn't hesitates to lie, one should trust the armed forces.
When asked to comment on Congress' claim that Indian Army had conducted surgical strikes in the past as well, the ex-COAS said: “Cant say yes, can't say no.”
Congress party had yesterday claimed that surgical strikes were conducted thrice during the party-led UPA rule but the then government did not make loud claims in the interest of national security.
Commenting on Pakistan's claim that no surgical strike took place in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir area, the retired General said, “It has become part of Pakistan's DNA to lie and be in denial. They were exposed to the world when Osama bin Laden was killed by the US Navy Seals in Abbottabad.”
The Army conducted surgical strikes on seven terror launch pads along the LoC on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, inflicting "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from PoK.
In a rare gesture, Kejriwal had on Monday "saluted" Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the surgical strikes by the Army on terror launch pads across the LoC.
At the same time, he had urged the Centre to counter the smear campaign by Pakistan and international media, but BJP alleged that Kejriwal had in the garb of his statement questioned the Army's "assertion" on surgical strike and "insulted" the armed forces.
Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Tuesday created an uproar by terming the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army along the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as "fake".
Another party leader P Chidambaram asked for the release of video recording of the military action as proof.
