BJP attacks Cong leaders for ‘ disrespecting, insulting’ Army

Stepping on its nationalist agenda, the BJP on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress for “disrespecting” and “insulting” the Indian Army. Following a remark by senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad that “the Army was killing civilians more than terrorists”, the BJP swung into action and fielded senior Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to equate the Congress with “terrorists”. The ruling party claimed a new Congress has emerged and under its president Rahul Gandhi and with the blessings of Sonia Gandhi, it wants to strengthen forces working to break India, as it referred to the reported statements of senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz. The BJP claimed the Congress leaders’ comments had drawn support from terror group Lashkar- eTayyaba and would make Pakistan happy. It said Mr Gandhi and his mother, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, “owned an

In a sudden and heartwarming gesture that may have significant impact in fostering better relationship between India and Buddhistmajority Sri Lanka, about 160 Sri Lankan military personnel and their families from the Army, Air Force and the Navy will fly down in an Indian Air Force ( IAF) C- 17 transport aircraft on Sunday to visit the Buddhist pilgrimage centre at Bodh Gaya in Bihar.

On Monday, the Lankan team will visit the Officers’ Training Academy ( OTA) at Gaya followed by a visit to Bodh Gaya. On Tuesday, the same C- 17 aircraft will fly them back to Colombo.

The idea for the visit germinated during the Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat’s four- day visit to Sri Lanka from May 14 when the proposal of a visit of Sri Lankan military personnel to the OTA at Gaya was being discussed. General Rawat’s visit had aimed at exploring new areas of military- to- military cooperation between the two countries.

Colonel Aman Anand, Indian Army spokesperson said: “When the idea of including a visit to Bodh Gaya was proposed, it generated a lot of enthusiasm among the Sri Lankans. There has been great positive response to this great outreach in Sri Lanka. It is an achievement for Indian military diplomacy.”