By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 28 Jan: BJP State Spokesman Suresh Joshi today launched a scathing attack on the Congress for playing politics with the armed forces of the country. Reacting to the allegations levelled by Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, Joshi claimed that Congress had always insulted the soldiers and ignored the need for state-of-the-art weapons and equipment needed for the security of the nation, and the safety of armed forces personnel.
Joshi said that Congress never respected the army and soldiers during its rule. Before 1997, when India’s brave soldiers were martyred on the border, the Congress government used to inform the bereaved families by sending black boxes, black blankets and five paise post cards that their son had been martyred. It was the Atal Bihari Vajpayee led BJP Government that ensured that the bereaved families got adequate financial and other help. He reminded the Congress that the One Rank One Pension issue had been pending for several decades before the Modi Government implemented this most important demand of the forces. As a result, lakhs of soldiers were now getting the benefit of this facility. Joshi said that the army had been now given a free hand to respond strongly to enemy provocation. The Congress governments had tied the hands of the armed forces and, in order to respond to the attack of terrorists or enemy of the country in the border areas, the army had to take permission from the Indian government. But after the coming of the Modi government, the army officers had been given the freedom to give a befitting reply immediately. This was the reason why “terrorist” activities on the border had come down significantly.
Joshi claimed that the Congress governments always ignored the need for modernisation of the army for the safety of soldiers’ lives and safety of the borders. In 2014, after the arrival of the Modi government, state-of-the-art aircraft like Rafale and Chinook were included in the fleet of the Air Force. State-of-the-art tanks were also handed over to the army. At the time of Congress governments, even ammunition was not available for the army in required quantity. Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, modern weapons were being handed over to the army for the soldiers. At the same time, many facilities had been provided to the ex-servicemen and paramilitary forces and their families. Joshi asked the Congress party not to politicise the army by raking up fake issues.
Joshi also reminded that Congress leaders had likened the then Army Chief General Bipin Rawat to a street goon and they were in fact taking instructions from the Chinese. Rahul Gandhi was having dinner at the Chinese embassy even as the Indian forces were fighting the Chinese army at the borders.
