Surgical strikes done during UPA tenure too, says ex-PM Manmohan Singh

The UPA government conducted multiple surgical strikes during its tenure, ex-Prmie Minister Manmohan Singh has said. In an interview to Hindustan Times, he said the armed forces had a free hand to respond to any threats.

The usually reticent Dr Singh said the military action during UPA rule was for ‘strategic deterrence’ and not for political gains. He said the NDA government’s attempt to gain political mileage from military operations was ‘shameful and unacceptable.’

Dr Singh, a renowned economist too, said the Modi government was a failure on the economic front. This was forcing the government to ‘hide behind the valour of the armed forces.’

Citing the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Singh said instead of taking the military route, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government decided to ‘isolate and diplomatically expose Pakistan as a terror hub.’ When his government suggested a coastal security mechanism, Modi, the then chief minister of Gujarat, had opposed the idea, he said. Interestingly, BJP spokespersons have not reacted to Dr Singh’s comment yet.