A day after creating a massive political row with his controversial remarks on Operation Sindoor, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan remained defiant on Wednesday, saying the Constitution has given him the right to ask questions.
Chavan, a former Maharashtra chief minister, had claimed that India was defeated on the very first day of the military confrontation with Pakistan and many Indian aircraft were shot down during the conflict.
"Why should I apologise? It is out of the question. The Constitution gives me the right to ask questions,” he said.
The BJP, meanwhile, has launched an all-out attack on Chavan and the Congress party, accusing them of undermining national security operations.
“The Congress party has always been pro-Pakistani. This Congress party has always humiliated the country. Their leader, Rahul Gandhi, whenever he goes abroad, insults India. The whole country is watching, and the public will teach Congress a lesson," said BJP MP Brij Lal.
Party spokesperson C.R. Kesavan questioned the silence of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, asking why no action is being taken against the leader.
"Prithviraj Chavan has ranted like a third-grade Pakistani spokesperson, deliberately maligning our armed forces, calling for them to be disbanded on Vijay Diwas. Why have Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi not condemned and initiated action against Prithviraj Chavan? Do they agree with his preposterous statement?,” he asked.
Earlier, BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said insulting the army has become the hallmark of the Congress party.
"This is not just Prithviraj Chavan's statement; Rahul Gandhi has also made similar statements. All these statements reflect Rahul Gandhi's mindset, which is why Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party does not take any action against such leaders. These statements reveal their anti-army mentality," he said.
Chavan made the controversial statement at a press conference in Pune, where he said the Indian Air Force was completely grounded during the three-day military conflict.
"On the first day (of Operation Sindoor), we were completely defeated. In the half-hour aerial engagement that took place on the 7th, we were fully defeated, whether people accept it or not,” he said.
“Indian aircraft were shot down. The Air Force was completely grounded, and not a single aircraft flew. If any aircraft had taken off from Gwalior, Bathinda, or Sirsa, there was a high probability of being shot down by Pakistan,” the Congress leader further claimed.