The Congress appears to be reserving its fire power against the Modi government on its Pakistan policy even as it is grappling with a perception problem caused by statements by leaders such as Sanjay Nirupam, who described surgical strikes carried out by the army as fake.
In line with the statement by party president Sonia Gandhi, Congress leaders feel that the time is not right to "rip off" the government's strategy until such time the full import of the army action is ascertained.
Even as it sought to distance itself from Nirupam's stand for the second consecutive day, the Congress has also realised that its strategy to bare details of earlier cross-border operations of the army is fraught with contradiction.
On Tuesday, the Congress lifted the veil from the surgical strikes carried out during the UPA tenure and also gave dates of the army operations. "We are proud that even in the past, our forces have successfully conducted such surgical strike on numerous occasions, particularly on September 1, 2011, July 28, 2013 and January 14, 2014," Congress' chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
However, he appeared to be at loss of words when asked why the Congress had chosen to take "political ownership" of the surgical strikes carried out during the UPA tenure now.
The Congress was also battling the perception that it was demanding that the Modi government make public the evidence of the surgical strikes. Besides Nirupam, senior leader Digvijay Singh and former MP Sandeep Dikshit, too, had asked the government to make the videos of the surgical strikes public.
"We have not a shred of doubt in the capabilities and calibre of our armed forces," Singh said reading out from a prepared text. He also requested the government to use all information, evidence and instruments at their disposal in calling the Pakistani bluff.![]( "Even as it sought to distance itself from Nirupam stand for the second consecutive day, the Congress has also realised that its strategy to bare details of earlier cross-border operations of the army is fraught with contradiction. File Photo")
The Congress appears to be reserving its fire power against the Modi government on its Pakistan policy even as it is grappling with a perception problem caused by statements by leaders such as Sanjay Nirupam, who described surgical strikes carried out by the army as fake.
In line with the statement by party president Sonia Gandhi, Congress leaders feel that the time is not right to "rip off” the government’s strategy until such time the full import of the army action is ascertained.
Even as it sought to distance itself from Nirupam’s stand for the second consecutive day, the Congress has also realised that its strategy to bare details of earlier cross-border operations of the army is fraught with contradiction.
On Tuesday, the Congress lifted the veil from the surgical strikes carried out during the UPA tenure and also gave dates of the army operations. "We are proud that even in the past, our forces have successfully conducted such surgical strike on numerous occasions, particularly on September 1, 2011, July 28, 2013 and January 14, 2014,” Congress’ chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
However, he appeared to be at loss of words when asked why the Congress had chosen to take "political ownership” of the surgical strikes carried out during the UPA tenure now.
The Congress was also battling the perception that it was demanding that the Modi government make public the evidence of the surgical strikes. Besides Nirupam, senior leader Digvijay Singh and former MP Sandeep Dikshit, too, had asked the government to make the videos of the surgical strikes public.
"We have not a shred of doubt in the capabilities and calibre of our armed forces,” Singh said reading out from a prepared text. He also requested the government to use all information, evidence and instruments at their disposal in calling the Pakistani bluff.
In line with the statement by party president Sonia Gandhi, Congress leaders feel that the time is not right to "rip off" the government's strategy until such time the full import of the army action is ascertained.
Even as it sought to distance itself from Nirupam's stand for the second consecutive day, the Congress has also realised that its strategy to bare details of earlier cross-border operations of the army is fraught with contradiction.
On Tuesday, the Congress lifted the veil from the surgical strikes carried out during the UPA tenure and also gave dates of the army operations. "We are proud that even in the past, our forces have successfully conducted such surgical strike on numerous occasions, particularly on September 1, 2011, July 28, 2013 and January 14, 2014," Congress' chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
However, he appeared to be at loss of words when asked why the Congress had chosen to take "political ownership" of the surgical strikes carried out during the UPA tenure now.
The Congress was also battling the perception that it was demanding that the Modi government make public the evidence of the surgical strikes. Besides Nirupam, senior leader Digvijay Singh and former MP Sandeep Dikshit, too, had asked the government to make the videos of the surgical strikes public.
"We have not a shred of doubt in the capabilities and calibre of our armed forces," Singh said reading out from a prepared text. He also requested the government to use all information, evidence and instruments at their disposal in calling the Pakistani bluff.
The Congress appears to be reserving its fire power against the Modi government on its Pakistan policy even as it is grappling with a perception problem caused by statements by leaders such as Sanjay Nirupam, who described surgical strikes carried out by the army as fake.In line with the statement by party president Sonia Gandhi, Congress leaders feel that the time is not right to "rip off” the government’s strategy until such time the full import of the army action is ascertained.
Even as it sought to distance itself from Nirupam’s stand for the second consecutive day, the Congress has also realised that its strategy to bare details of earlier cross-border operations of the army is fraught with contradiction.
On Tuesday, the Congress lifted the veil from the surgical strikes carried out during the UPA tenure and also gave dates of the army operations. "We are proud that even in the past, our forces have successfully conducted such surgical strike on numerous occasions, particularly on September 1, 2011, July 28, 2013 and January 14, 2014,” Congress’ chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
However, he appeared to be at loss of words when asked why the Congress had chosen to take "political ownership” of the surgical strikes carried out during the UPA tenure now.
The Congress was also battling the perception that it was demanding that the Modi government make public the evidence of the surgical strikes. Besides Nirupam, senior leader Digvijay Singh and former MP Sandeep Dikshit, too, had asked the government to make the videos of the surgical strikes public.
"We have not a shred of doubt in the capabilities and calibre of our armed forces,” Singh said reading out from a prepared text. He also requested the government to use all information, evidence and instruments at their disposal in calling the Pakistani bluff.