After senior congress leader Digvijay Singh asked for proof from the central government of the Balakot air strikes, the Congress party distanced itself with the remarks saying that it was not them but PM Narendra Modi who was raising questions on Balakot air strikes that took place on February 26.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said that it was not the Opposition which was not them who was putting question marks on the airstrike but the the Prime Minister of the country himself. PM Modi has said that if the country had the Rafale jets, the results would have been very different.

Questioning the statement by the prime minister, Tewari added that the fact that India does not have Rafale jets today is because Prime Minister Modi is directly responsible for it. If PM Modi had not cancelled the contract and its initial negotiations to accommodate his own cronies, the Rafale jets would have come by now.

Modi’s statement has “long-term implications”, Tewari added further.

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Tewari raised a few more questions on the remarks made by the prime minister, “What would have been different, Mr Prime Minister? And if it is correct that our MIG-21 shot down Pakistan’s F-16, then what outcome or expectation that PM Modi was talking about?”

He added, “So, who is raising questions on the Balakot airstrike? It is not the Opposition. It is the Prime Minister of the country who is putting question marks on the airstrike which is absolutely unprecedented.”

Tewari went on to question a union government minister, S S Ahluwalia, who is said to be a close confidante of Prime Minister Modi. Ahluwalia had said that the airstrikes were meant to warn Pakistan and not kill terrorists. It was a matter of grave concern, he added.

“Who is playing with national interests and discouraging the armed forces. Prime Minister Modi should be answering and explain to the country,” Tewari said in the press conference.

Tewari also said that the Congress had never asked for evidence on the airstrikes and has full confidence and trust in the Indian armed forces.