Accused of faking Pakistan strikes, Indian army surrenders footage to govt
Indian army soldiers take positions during their patrol near the Line of Control in Nowshera sector, about 90 kilometers from Jammu, India, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. Pic: AP
6th October 2016
THE Indian army has handed to the government video clips of the “surgical strikes” it said it carried out across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan’s side of Kashmir last week, following claims from across the border that the attack had been exaggerated.
Local media reports quoting army sources said the footage is now with the Modi administration, which is facing increasing pressure both from Pakistan and detractors in India to prove the strikes had taken place.
The Economic Times in its report Thursday said the Indian armed forces gave the green light to the government to use the video footage in any manner it sees fit.
The final decision, however, rests with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), it said.
The Times of India quoted Union Minister Hansraj Ahir as confirming Wednesday that the footage was handed over in accordance with procedure.
The daily also quoted Kiran Rijiju, a state minister for home, as urging the public to have faith in the government.
“The laid down procedure has been followed. The DGMO (director general of military operations) briefed (about the surgical strikes). It was not the Defence Minister nor the Prime Minister and not the Home Minister.
“It was the DGMO who briefed (the media). That was the right thing to do and they (army) did it.
“Have faith in the government and leave it to the army,” he was quoted telling reporters when pressed for proof of the strikes.
The issue reportedly flared up Tuesday when Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam called the strikes “fake”, inviting criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party, and his own political colleagues who distanced the party from his remarks.
On Sept 29, the Indian army claimed it carried out “surgical strikes” in the across the highly-militarized LoC in the disputed Kashmir region and destroyed “terrorist launching pads” used by the Pakistani militants.
It claimed its elite troops crossed into Pakistan territory in Kashmir and killed suspected militants who were allegedly planning strikes in major cities in India. The attack allegedly incapacitated more than 30 terrorists and destroyed five terror launch pads in the region.
Pakistan, however, said no such strike occurred.
The strikes were presumably carried out in retaliation for the clashes in Uri, in India-controlled Kashmir earlier on Sept 18.
In that attack, unidentified gunmen infiltrated a key Indian army base in Uri, triggering a standoff that killed 19 soldiers. The rebels were also killed in the dawn skirmish.
Earlier this week, officials in Islamabad said Pakistan and India were trying to de-escalate border tensions. The officials said that Pakistani adviser Nasser Khan Janjua spoke with India’s security adviser Ajit Doval by phone briefly on Monday, discussing ways to restore calm.
Despite this, however, reports early Thursday said more cross-border clashes were reported in Kashmir.
According to Indian army spokesman Col. Rajesh Kalia, soldiers foiled an attack on an army camp and killed three suspected rebels in India’s side of the restive Kashmir valley.
He said the militants fired at sentry posts and tried to enter an army camp in the forested Langate area early Thursday but Indian soldiers retaliated and killed all the three attackers.
