I don’t agree with Digvijay Singh’s statement: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi distanced himself and his party from the remarks of party leader Digvijaya Singh who had said that proof was needed for the surgical strikes carried out in Pakistan territory.

Calling out the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Gandhi said at a media meet of the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu’s Nagrota on Tuesday: “I don’t agree with Digvijay Singh’s statement. We trust the Army. The Army need not clarify on what it does.”

He added: “We are a democratic party. We are not a dictatorship. We do not appreciate Digvijay Singh’s views. I can assure you that Digvijay Singh’s views are not shared by the party.”

On Monday Singh had said: “Forty of our CRPF jawans were martyred in Pulwama. CRPF officials had requested PM Modi that personnel should be airlifted, but PM Modi didn’t agree. How did such a lapse take place? Till date, no report on Pulwama has been placed before Parliament.” Singh is no stranger to controversy: He had raised doubts over the 2008 Batla House encounter in New Delhi.

The BJP launched a scathing attack on the Congress asking Gandhi why it took him "so many years" to say that he respected the Indian armed forces. Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also asked the Opposition leader as what was the "limit of personal views" of his party colleagues.

The BJP also asked the Congress leadership to clarify its stand on terrorist and national security.

"I ask Rahul Gandhi, why did it take him years to publicly state that he respected the institution of Armed Forces? The fact is he doesn't actually do," said Mr Prasad. The BJP leader asserted that India does not seek proof of its armed forces's valour, only respects their sacrifices.

The former union minister also asked why Rahul Gandhi could not make Singh respect armed forces during his "kilometres long" Bharat Jodo Yatra. "What is the message of this yatra when some of its big leaders are engaged in Bharat Todo Yatra" said the BJP leader.