Rahul Gandhi: PM Modi has no shame in using military as personal asset

Rahul Gandhi

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using the 2016 surgical strike on terrorist camps for "political capital" and said he has "absolutely no shame in using the military as a personal asset".

Gandhi attacked Modi after retired Lt Gen D.S. Hooda, who oversaw the strike on Pakistani territory, said in Chandigarh on Friday that the hype over the surgical strike did not help and in hindsight, he felt that the operation should have remained a secret.

The report cited Lt Gen Hooda, who was the Northern Army Commander in September 2016 when Indian troops carried out the surgical strikes after the Uri terror attack, as saying that the "overhype" did not help and "it is not good" when "military operations get politicised".

Hooda also said that it would have been better had it been done secretly.

"Spoken like a true soldier General. India is so proud of you. Mr 36 (Modi) has absolutely no shame in using our military as a personal asset. He used the surgical strikes for political capital and the Rafale deal to increase Anil Ambani's real capital by Rs 30,000 crore," Gandhi tweeted.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also slammed the BJP government and said that no one can use the valour and sacrifice of Indian soldiers to score cheap political points.

"Thank you Lt Gen Hooda for exposing the petty politicisation by Modi! Modiji is squarely guilty of compromising national security and strategic interests by unwarranted chest thumping," he said.

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