Lucknow:- BSP supremo Mayawati today launched a blistering attack on the Modi government over its “Natakbazi” (drama) of claiming credit for the cross-LoC surgical strikes by the army, alleging it was meant for reaping “political benefits” and to divert public attention from its “own failures”.
Mayawati said a “war hysteria” was being sought to be created by the BJP over the surgical assault, which she said was the right move, but one that came too late.
“There is a feeling among people that this (the strikes) could have been delayed for taking political and electoral mileage,” she said, adding had the military action been conducted after the Pathankot attack in January, the lives of 19 soldiers in Uri could have been saved.
“Instead of honouring its political leaders after the strikes, BJP should have felicitated the army for it. The credit for the strikes should go to the Indian army and not Narendra Modi,” she said, addressing a well attended rally to mark the 10th death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram.
Mayawati’s remarks drew sharp reaction from the BJP, which said questioning the authenticity of the strikes “does not behove her”.
She said though the army had undertaken surgical attacks against the enemy in the past, never was any attempt made to “do politics” over military action.
Amid demands by opposition parties for proof to back the claim of surgical strikes, Mayawati said and the army alone and not the government should take a decision on this.
She equated the present “hype” over the strikes with the mood in the US after its forces eliminated Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
Mayawati asked the voters in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab, which would to to polls next year, not to be swayed by the Modi government’s rhetoric to avoid “regretting their decision” in future.
BJP reacted angrily to Mayawati’s comments, with party spokesman Siddharth Nath Singh saying,” Questioning the strikes doesn’t behove her, particularly after leaders like Swami Prasad Maurya and R K Chaudhary, who left BSP, accused her of selling party tickets for the assembly polls. She personifies corruption.”
Another BJP spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Hussain rejected Mayawati’s allegation that the BJP was doing politics over the strikes.
“Is praising the courage and gallantry of our armed forces playing politics. Those who are questioning the veracity of the strikes are playing politics,” he said.
PTI
