Amid growing clamour, experts warn against sharing surgical strikes videos

Mumbai: Putting to rest the growing clamour to present the evidence for surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army across the Line of Control, sources in defence have warned against sharing proofs of the military action, as the Pakistani defence establishment is waiting with bated breath to identify India’s operational techniques.

Speaking to NDTV, former Army chief General Shankar Roychowdhury, who was army chief from 1994 to 1997,  said that the Pakistan Army was keeping a close watch on Indian media to gather as much information as possible regarding our operational techniques, as “80 per cent of all intelligence comes from open sources.”

Reiterating the view, another former Army chief, General JJ Singh, said, “I don't believe anybody has right to question the fact that we have conducted the operations and that we should show them evidence.”

Meanwhile, the Army has handed over the video clips of cross-LoC operation to the government as per the laid down procedure.

Talking to reporters, Union Minister Hansraj Ahir said "The laid down procedure has been followed. The DGMO briefed (about the surgical strikes). It was not the Defence Minister nor the Prime Minister and not the Home Minister. It was the DGMO who briefed (the media). That was the right thing to do and they (Army) did it.”

"There was a time when written documents were submitted. Now the times have changed. Now clips are given and the clips have been given," he told reporters here.

A political slugfest broke out yesterday over surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the LoC with Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam calling it "fake", provoking stinging criticism from BJP even as his own party said it "totally dissociates" from his remarks.

The Congress leader went on to demand "some evidence" to prove the surgical strikes did take place and accused the Centre's ruling BJP of indulging in politics over the issue.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal too had asked the government to release the proof of the cross-LoC surgical strikes to counter the Pakistani propaganda against the operation.

With patriotic sentiments running high amid soaring tensions with Pakistan, Union Minister Uma Bharti said leaders who cast "doubt over the Army's surgical strike should take Pakistani citizenship".