Congress Demands Clarity on Aircraft Losses Amidst Recent India-Pakistan Conflict

Congress Seeks Transparency from Government

New Delhi: On Saturday, the Congress party urged the government to disclose the truth regarding the losses incurred during the recent four-day conflict with Pakistan, following remarks from Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan about the loss of aircraft in the skirmish.

Gen Chauhan refuted claims from Islamabad that six Indian jets were shot down, labeling them as 'absolutely incorrect.'

Congress leader Uttam Kumar Reddy seized on the CDS's comments, emphasizing the public's right to know if any aircraft were indeed lost during the conflict, especially in light of the CDS's 'admission.'

'A government must be transparent. Accountability is essential in a democracy. This isn't merely about patriotism; we are deeply patriotic. The Gandhi family has made significant sacrifices for the nation's integrity, and yet they face questioning. This is truly shocking and bizarre,' Reddy stated.

He reaffirmed Congress's unwavering support for the Indian armed forces, expressing pride in their efforts: 'The party congratulates them for their commendable work, and we salute them.'

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh recalled that on July 29, 1999, the Vajpayee administration established the Kargil Review Committee, led by 'India's strategic affairs expert K Subrahmanyam, whose son is now our external affairs minister.'

This committee was formed just three days after the Kargil war concluded, Ramesh noted.

'The committee presented its comprehensive report five months later, titled 'From Surprise to Reckoning,' which was subsequently presented to both Houses of Parliament on February 23, 2000, after necessary redactions.'

'Will the Modi government now undertake a similar initiative in light of the revelations made by the Chief of Defence Staff in Singapore?' Ramesh questioned in a post on X.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Gen Chauhan emphasized the importance of understanding the reasons behind the aircraft losses to enhance military tactics for future engagements.

'What matters is not just the loss of jets but understanding why they were lost,' he remarked.

When asked about the loss of combat jets during the recent military confrontations with Pakistan, Gen Chauhan stated, 'The positive aspect is that we identified the tactical errors we made, corrected them, and implemented changes within two days. We resumed flying all our jets, targeting at long range.'

'Absolutely incorrect,' he reiterated regarding Pakistan's assertion of downing six Indian jets during Operation Sindoor.