IAF strike proof row: Congress speaking in 'language of Pakistan,' says RS Prasad

The BJP on Tuesday accused the Congress of "lowering the morale and prestige" of the forces by seeking evidence of the airstrike carried out by the Indian Air Force on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Pakistan. Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that senior Congress leaders were speaking in the "language of Pakistan".

"They are not speaking in isolation. They have the blessings of (Congress president) Rahul Gandhi and (UPA chairperson) Sonia Gandhi," Prasad said, naming senior Congress leaders P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal and Digvijaya Singh.

No foreign country has sought evidence of the air strike, the BJP leader said, adding that Congress leaders do not believe in Indian media reports. By seeking proof, he said, the Congress was "lowering the morals and prestige" of the security forces.

Prasad also attacked West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee. "Mamata ji, you have seen struggle. What is wrong with you?"

Meanwhile, stepping up its offensive, Congress on Monday asked what was the basis for BJP chief Amit Shah's claim of 250 terrorists getting killed in Indian Air Force's air strike in Pakistan's Balakot and why was Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his government not giving the details of casualties. Congress spokesperson RPN Singh also accused the prime minister and BJP leadership of politicising the air strikes and said Modi should apologise to the country for trying to portray the Indian Force as being weaker without Rafale.

He counter-accused the BJP and its leaders of spreading misinformation and "false propaganda" over the air strikes ahead of elections and said the people of the country would give them a befitting reply. Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal also said that if Amit Shah is claiming 250 casualties of terrorists in the air strike, why is the prime minister not providing details of the number of deaths.

Singh said, "It is extremely shocking and tragic that the prime minister of this country is pointing fingers at opposition parties for questioning the Army or the Air Force.