Shimla: Deputy Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma lambasted at Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues for chest thumping over the Surgical Strike issue and advised them to stop politicizing the action of armed forces for narrow political gains.
Sharma, while talking to the media today, advised the Prime Minister and his ministers to speak and act with maturity and restraint on matters of National Security and the brave actions of Indian Armed Forces against terror attacks from across the LoC with Pakistan in J&K. He said
“The entire nation, had spoken in one voice supporting the action of the special forces of the Indian Army in undertaking surgical strikes, to neutralize the terrorists launch pads across and along the LoC on 29th of September, congress party had established the Govt decision and supported the action as informed by DGMO”
Former Union Cabinet Minister claimed the BJP led Union Government are attempting to whip up hysteria and create a division in the polity on an issue on which the country, stands united. PM first cautioned his ministers to refrain from making boastful claims, but did not restrain Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, from making jingoistic statements, and himself joined the chest thumping colleagues in the Govt and BJP.
Blaming PM and Defense Minister for deliberately making misleading statements ‘giving an impression that this was the first time that Indian Army had taken action against cross border terror attacks in three decades’ and termed it an insult to the Indian army. He stated that army had firmly retaliated against such attacks in the past also. Statements of former Army chiefs and testimony of foreign secretary before the parliamentary committee conforming the same, but those were not publicized have exposed the PM and the falsehood spread by defense minister, he further added.
Sharma clarified that the armed forces always had the freedom to effectively respond when required and had to support of the previous Govt to do so. However the UPA Govt in its wisdom had decided not to claim Political Ownership for the action of the Armed forces.
Former Union Cabinet Minister in charge of Commerce and Industry claimed the Indian Economy in dire strait and BJP led Union Government is indulging in propaganda to divert attention of the people from its failures, non-performing and the economics crises to escape accountability.
He said the weak GDP growth in the first quarter of the current financial year raises serious concerns over the state of the Indian economy. Despite Govt efforts at inflating figures, glossing and misrepresenting numbers, the growth is far below what is projected.
He claimed that export has dipped, key parameters of the economy, investments, saving capital formation capacity utilization and merchandise exports are in sharp decline, he further added.
Challenging the claims of finance minister that the Indian economy is surging but claimed it a struggling one. He said
“The investment sentiment is depressed. Investment rate is negative, the gross capital formation has fallen in real terms. Let alone creation if new manufacturing capacities there is not utilization of over one third if the existing industrial capacity, industrial credit off take has fallen to 20 years low and large scale layoff of industrial workers has further aggravated the situation”
Anand Sharma said that Narender Modi had assumed office in an environment of hope and high expectations has failed to deliver on its premises. The people especially the unemployed youth and the poor feel betrayed.
