BS Dhanoa’s comment is in stark contrast with the BJP President’s statement

Coimbatore, 4th March: In a press conference today, IAF Chief BS Dhanoa today said that IAF doesn’t count how many people die in an operation like the recent air strikes. While addressing the press conference, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa took questions of the media regarding Air Strikes and developments post that. He refused to give a quote regarding number of casualties in the strikes. He said that Air Force was not in a position to clarify the number, and that “When we plan to hit a target, we hit the target”.

He said that it was premature to give any updates on the matter as the air force is not in a position to clarify how many people were inside the target. It was the government’s prerogative to give a statement on that, the Air Chief said. Interestingly, where on one hand the Chief of the Force which carried out the said attack is not ready to answer the question regarding number of casualties, and deems it fit for only the government to respond on such a sensitive matter, a leader of the ruling party, who does not hold any official position in the government,

BJP President Amit Shah

but is just the president of the party, feels it comes under his prerogative to respond to it. While he was in Ahemdabad, Gujrat, the BJP President Amit Shah stated, “PM Modi’s government did and airstrike on the 13th day (of Pulwama attack) and killed more than 250 terrorists”. The question which arises out of this is, that while our forces are showing utmost maturity in handling the highly sensitive security issues, the ruling party and its leaders are being rather immature about it.

When a person of the armed forces refuses to comment on something, deeming it sensitive and essential to national security, how can a person who does not hold any official position be aware of such information? The fact that he is aware of such information, which essentially is under the scope of Cabinet Committee on Security, which he is not a member of, is disturbing. Has our National Security become a pro.