Ex-IAF officer slams Digvijaya Singh's "surgical strike proof" remark, says "he does not know what he is talking about"

New Delhi, Jan 24: Stirring up another controversy, Digvijaya Singh's remark on Balakot surgical strikes against Pakistan has been drawn immense fury from several military personnel. One of them was ex-Indian Air Force officer who said the Congress leader "is not aware of the facts and is misinformed".

 

Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar (Retd), who retired after commanding the Western Air Command took on the Congress leader and said, "Singh does not know what he is talking about and is misinformed". He made it clear that the pilots involved in the Balakot Airstrike in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir "did exactly as they were briefed".

His remarks come after Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that there was no proof of the Surgical strike against Pakistan which was claimed by the Centre. "They (Centre) talk about surgical strikes and that they have killed so many of them but there is no proof," said the Congress leader in his address in Jammu today.

Speaking to ANI, ex-Indian Air Force officer Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar (Retd) said, "This gentleman does not know what he is talking about. He has been misinformed and is not aware of the facts. I took over as the Commander-in-chief of the Western Air Command two days after the Balakot strike and am fully aware of what transpired. Let me assure all of you that our brave pilots did exactly as they were briefed and achieved all the objectives that we had set for them."

"Please do not believe any lies and be rest assured that the Balakot Airstrike was a thumping success," he said.

Earlier, another former IAF officer Wg Cdr Praful Bakshi said the Indian forces are not bound to give proof about the Surgical strikes it conducted in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, adding that the government knows that sharing the details of the attack is "against the policy of the army".He said that if Congress wants to see the proof, the party should "ask the Pakistanis".

Speaking to ANI, Wg Cdr Bakshi said, "The Army does not give any proof. What proof should it give and why? If you want to know, ask the Pakistanis. If they are your friends, they will tell you, if not, they won't. Nobody can compel the Army to give proof. If the government wants to give proof, it can. But the government also knows that it would be against the policy of the Army. The Pakistanis levelled the place where the attack took place. It does not matter who says what. I think it is not even a question. The media should not react to this."

The Wg Cdr said that Pakistan has come down to its knees after the strikes, adding that it is the duty of the Army "not to answer".

"It is about national security. The strike was conducted for the country. Neither the Army nor the government is bound to answer how and why the strikes were conducted. Pakistan has come to its knees after the strikes. Now their Prime Minister wants good relations with India. It is the duty of the Army not to answer even if the almighty asks," he said.