NEW DELHI: After grand old party Congress signed up Lt Gen D S Hooda (Retired), architect of the 2016 surgical strikes, to craft its national security manifesto ahead of the Lok Sabha election later this year, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took a dig at the old party by saying it signalled a belated and grudging recognition and acceptance" of the strike.
Saffron party has long accused the Congress of disrespecting the armed forces by raising questions on the military op. Grand-old party has maintained that it has only denounced the politicisation of the surgical strikes.
finance minister said, "I have not the least doubt that he would give very valuable advice to the grand old party". In a blog post, the Jaitley said the appointment of the retired general was "intriguing" since it showed that the Congress needed lessons on national security despite being ruling India for half a century.
US-based Indians protested outside the Pakistan Consulate in New York against the terror attack
He also asked the Congress not to give an impression that India is divided on how to fight terrorism. He said, "I am sure the Head of the Advisory Panel would educate the party leaders that the surgical strikes were no routine step which had been taken several times in the past, but a significant first for India," he said.
