'Nobody knows if it actually took place': Telangana CM Revanth Reddy casts doubt over Balakot airstrike, BJP replies

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is the latest Congress leader to brew controversy by casting doubt over the Pulwama attack, saying that it is not certain if a surgical strike even took place in 2019.

Reddy also slammed the Intelligence Bureau (IB) over its failure to foresee the attack in Pulwama that killed over 40 CRPF personnel.

"For Modi, everything is politics, everything is about winning elections. So, Modi's thinking is not right for the country. So, the country needs to be without BJP, without Modi now. They answer everything with 'Jai Sri Ram'. The Pulwama incident is a classic example. They have failed. What is the IB doing? What is the Intelligence network doing? Modi ji attempted political benefit from the surgical strike after Pulwama incident," the Telangana chief minister said.

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He added, "Nobody knows to date if a surgical strike actually took place. So, internal security is Congress' responsibility. We are not ready to leave the country in just anyone's hands."

The Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2019 launched a surgical strike in Pakistan's Balakot in response to the Pulwama attacks.

Reddy's comments come just a day after another Congress leader, Mani Shankar Aiyar, said that India should "respect Pakistan as they have atom bombs."

BJP reacts

Reacting to the Telangana chief minister's comment, BJP's national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, "He must remember that 'Fawad Chaudhary' who is showering support on his biggest leader Rahul Gandhi has said it in Pakistan's national assembly as the minister of Imran Khan govt that 'humne Pulwama tak ghus ke mara hai'. Reddy has either no knowledge or such love (for Pakistan) that he is unable to see and listen even after the Pakistan minister has said this."

Pakistan's former minister Fawad Chaudhary had praised Gandhi over the Congress party's resolution to conduct a wealth redistribution survey after coming to power.