'Something fishy': Congress again doubts armed forces, govt claims on Op Sindoor

Lucknow, Oct 3 (IANS) The Congress on Friday once again raised doubts over the claims made by the government and the Armed Forces on the anti-terror Operation Sindoor, with the party’s Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai claiming that “there is something fishy”.

“What do the repeated attempts to issue statements and clarifications to people and media depict… there is something fishy. The Prime Minister should put the facts before the nation and settle the issue once and for all,” Rai told IANS.

The Congress leader said, “The repeated public statements by the CDS… prove that there is something amiss. The suspicion grows stronger due to CDS and the chief of the Armed Forces giving differing versions.”

“The time has come that the Prime Minister should share the entire truth with the public,” he said.

Rai’s remarks coincided with Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh’s statement on Friday that Operation Sindoor rained hell on Pakistani forces as its top fighter jets, including the US-made F-16s and Chinese-built J-17s, were destroyed during the four-day military showdown from May 7-10.

He said that the Indian military has proof of at least one long-range strike on an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft and four to five strikes on fighter jets during Operation Sindoor.

The IAF chief said, “The operation’s standout achievement was the longest-range kill ever recorded by the Indian Air Force, a milestone that reflects the growing reach and lethality of India’s aerial capabilities.”

He said that during ‘Operation Sindoor’, the IAF not only penetrated deep into enemy territory but also achieved the longest-range kill to date -- till 300 km, leaving Pakistan unable to operate even within its own borders.

He credited India’s robust air defence infrastructure for playing a pivotal role in the overall plan, enabling seamless coordination and protection of assets during the operation.

“We were able to bring them to their knees within one night of intensive operations. The ability of the Air Force to be able to deliver this catastrophic firepower has been shown first time after 1971,” IAF chief Singh said.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar derided and mocked the Opposition for ‘alerting’ the government about the China-Pakistan fusion, particularly during Operation Sindoor, thereby posing a grave threat to India’s national security.

Participating in the Operation Sindoor debate in the Rajya Sabha, the External Affairs Minister had taken a jibe at the Opposition members by claiming that some ‘China gurus’ are giving lectures to the government despite their own history of hobnobbing and discounting the dragon on several occasions.

Jaishankar’s response came in the wake of Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi sounding alarm bells over the "China-Pakistan fusion" and why the government needed to “wake up” to the threats of the 21st century.

--IANS

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