LoC attack: Congress says opposition should be responsible

NEW DELHI: Even as BJP kicked up a row over Defence Minister AK Antony’s statement on the killing of five jawans in Poonch, Congress said he had not given a clean chit to Pakistan on the issue. Speaking at the official press briefing on Wednesday, Congress spokesperson PC Chacko said, “Such a dastardly and unprovoked act was not acceptable.”


Congress re-issued a statement made by party president Sonia Gandhi after the incident, where she had termed the killing as deceitful. The party accused BJP of politicising the issue. “Any attack from across the border cannot be politically used. When there was a government led by the principal Opposition party at the Centre, we had a Lahore Declaration but within months there was Kargil war. But we in Congress didn’t gherao the prime minister’s house or politicise the issue.

Then there was Parliament attack and later Kandahar hijacking case, we didn’t politicise it or ever stage dharnas at ministers’ residences,” Chacko said.

Congress said it would never compromise on the sovereignty of India. “But at the same time, having good relations with neighbours is important,” Chacko said.

The party threw its weight behind Antony, whose statement that attack was perpetrated by “terrorists and people dressed in Pakistan Army uniforms” has drawn the Opposition’s ire. “Mr Antony had given the statement on the basis of whatever information that was available to him. He has said in Rajya Sabha that the Army chief has gone to Jammu and after his return Mr Antony would get additional facts and then clarify if need be. Our request is that please do not use this attack for political propaganda,” Chacko said. Congress denied there was any “contradiction” or “goof-up” or “mistake” in Antony’s statement.