Manohar Parrikar: No LoC strike under UPA

In a statement that may open a Pandora’s box, defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday cast doubts on the Congress’ claims of conducting surgical strikes across the Line of Control during UPA rule. “From whatever I have learnt, there was no surgical strike anytime earlier,” the minister said, while speaking at an event hosted by the Forum For Integrated National Security.

Mr Parrikar said such surgical strikes had never been carried out before. “What they are probably quoting is action taken by Border Action Teams. These are common practices in which local commanders take punitive action against opponents who have been troubling them to settle scores. But the government had never endorsed such action, and it was thus a covert operation carried out without anyone’s knowledge. The report is issued subsequently,” Mr Parrikar added.

After the Uri terror attack last month, that claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers, the Indian Army had on September 29 carried out surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in which it claimed to have killed many terrorists. After this, the Congress had claimed the UPA government too had done surgical strikes, but had never made it public.

Mr Parrikar rejected the Congress’ claims, and said the September 29 strikes were a one-time operation. “A decision was taken and conveyed by the government and finally executed by the Indian Army. The operation clearly indicated the intent of the Indian Army.”

The defence minister, however, refused to take credit for the strikes and instead attributed it to the people of India and the Army. “If we had to take political credit for it, I would have announced it. But we did not. It is the Army’s director-general of military operations who announced the outcome, and gave information about the action taken by the Indian military. The 127 crore people of the country and the Indian armed forces deserve the credit for the surgical strikes,” said Mr Parrikar.

But at another event, the defence minister said a “major share” of the credit for the operation does go to Prime Minister Modi and to the government for its decision-making and planning. “I don’t mind sharing the credit, including on surgical strikes, with every countryman as it was done by our armed forces and not by any political party. So all Indians, including the doubting Thomases, can share the credit,” he said.

Earlier, the minister had said: “We need to strengthen our forces so that no one can challenge us, because India’s attempts (at) friendship were construed as weakness by Pakistan.”

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi tried his best to patch up with Pakistan and develop good relations, but this was construed as weakness. So there was a need to tell them firmly that India will not tolerate this,” he added.

“There is no predictability with India’s response to such attacks now. This has resulted in a change in the mindset of our opponents, as they are now worried that India is not predictable any more,” Mr Parrikar said.

To a query on the mindset of the Indian Army, Mr Parrikar said: “In the last 30 years, there were three wars and non-conventional attacks like terrorism. There was frustration in society as well as among the 13.5 lakh Army personnel that the enemy does not bother the government. “It was a 30-year steam that was vented out (on September 29). That is why people have expressed joy over it. Had anything gone wrong (during the surgical strike), the entire blame would have been borne by the government,” Mr Parrikar said.

In veiled criticism of the media coverage of Kashmir events, the defence minister said: “Publicity is like oxygen. If the stone-pelting is not aired, 75 per cent of the stone-pelting will stop.”

Asked if there were any intelligence failures in the Pathankot and Uri attacks, Mr Parrikar said: “There were some shortcomings in intelligence. (However), I don’t call it a failure.”