New Delhi: Union Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday that opposition parties "should introspect" on their statement criticising the government as it "is being used by Pakistan" to bolster their case. He spoke hours after 21 parties met and put out a statement condemning "blatant politicisation of the sacrifices of the armed forces" by the ruling party (BJP).
On Arun Jaitley's comment, the Congress retorted that it is the BJP leadership that needs real introspection.
Reacting to the opposition statement, Arun Jaitley questioned why the parties were accusing the government of politicising the anti-terror operation when the whole nation was speaking in one voice.
"My appeal to India's opposition - let the country speak in one voice. Please introspect - your ill-advised statement is being used by Pakistan to bolster its case," Mr Jaitley said in tweets on Wednesday evening.
"The Cross Border terror attack in Pulwama was a reality. The Balakot Operation was India's anti-terror preemptive strike to defend its sovereignty," posted the minister.
Later, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted, "Mr. Jaitley, It's the BJP and its leadership who require real introspection. Entire opposition stood as one backing the armed forces and the government. Still, Amit Shah and entire BJP resorted to credit-seeking for the sacrifice of our martyrs and indulged in blaming the Congress provocatively."
The opposition parties, in a joint statement, had expressed "deep anguish" over what they alleged was "blatant politicisation of the sacrifices of armed forces."
They urged the government to take the nation into confidence on all measures to protect India's sovereignty, unity and integrity. "National security must transcend narrow political considerations... The leaders observed that the prime minister has, regrettably, not convened an all-party meeting as per established practice in our democracy," the parties said.
With the national election just weeks away, the sparring took place in the backdrop of India-Pakistan tension after Indian Air Force jets carried out a strike on a major terror camp in Pakistan targeting the Jaish-e-Mohammad, the terror group behind the February 14 suicide attack in Kashmir's Pulwama in which over 40 soldiers were killed.
Yesterday, Pakistan took an Indian pilot captive after aerial combat between fighter planes of the two countries, the first such confrontation since 1971.