FS, DGMO to brief parliament panel on surgical strikes

A notice regarding the meeting was issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat.
Image used for representational purpose
Image used for representational purpose

New Delhi: Continuing its quest to bring the lawmakers up to speed on the issue of trans-border surgical strikes, the Foreign Secretary and Director General Military Operations (DGMO) along with other top officials will be briefing Parliamentary Panel on External Affairs on October 18. The panel headed by Dr. Shashi Tharoor also has Congress Vice-President and MP Rahul Gandhi in it.

Gandhi scion was caught on the wrong foot when he hurled the accusation of “Khoon ki dalali” (exploitation of the Indian soldiers’ sacrifices) against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With impending elections in Uttar Pradesh statements were made from all the political parties to derive mileage out of the maiden announced surgical strikes and demands were made for the proof of the cross border strikes.

A notice regarding the meeting was issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat. "Briefing by the Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary, Defence Secretary and Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) on the subject ‘Indo-Pak relations with specific reference to surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC)’," the notice said.

After initial secrecy maintained by the government on the strikes conducted on the intervening night of September 28-29, the government had briefed the parliamentary panel on defence. The Indian Army Vice Chief had briefed the panel and the MPs were not allowed any questions on the operation, inviting criticism from the lawmakers. The dastardly attack on the Army base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir and ensuing Government’s actions have been under heavy scrutiny both from the public and the opposition parties with calls being made for retribution against Pakistan.

The Narendra Modi-led government did not spell out its options but said it will take action at the time and place of its choosing. In an unprecedented step it decided to announce it to the world to have crossed the Line of Control to neutralise terrroists waiting in their launch pads. In the followed up diplomatic offensive, New Delhi took all the leading countries in its confidence and the success of it was visible in all the member countries pulling out of the SAARC Summit scheduled in Islamabad.

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