After Opposing Me, Now They Say Me Too: PM Modi Hits Back At Congress Over Surgical Strike Claims

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday challenged the Congress' claim that it too had conducted surgical strikes across the Line of Control,

"Pehle upeksha, fir virodh, ab me too me too (They initially rejected it, then opposed and now saying 'me too' )," Modi said at an election rally in Sikar.

PM Modi's remark came a day after the Congress came out with a list of six anti-terror surgical strikes carried out during UPA rule.

The UPA government carried out six surgical strikes -- Bhattal sector in Poonch (June 19, 2008); Sharda sector, across Neelam River Valley, in Kel (August 30-September 1, 2011); Sawan Patra checkpost (January 6, 2013); Nazapir sector (July 27-28, 2013); Neelam Valley (August 6, 2013); and one on December 23, 2013, Congress spokesperson Rajeev Shukla had said in a press conference on Thursday.

Interestingly, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in an interview, had also said that multiple surgical strikes took place during UPA rule.

"For us, military operations were meant for strategic deterrence and giving a befitting reply to anti-India forces and not to be used for vote garnering exercises," the two-time prime minister said, accusing the Modi government of politicising the armed forces.

However, Modi upped his attack on the Congress on Friday and said, "They initially mocked and rejected surgical strike but people had faith in me and they stood by me," Modi said.

Modi slammed the Congress for telling "lies" and said the party does surgical strikes only "on paper".

A Congress leader had said four months back that three surgical strikes were conducted during Congress' term and now another leader is saying six surgical strikes were carried out by the party, Modi said.

"The number increased from three to six in four months. By the time elections are over, this number would increase to 600. What does it matter when the strike is on paper! Congress only speaks lies," he said. 

PTI