Sisodia backs Kejriwal, says no need of proof

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to release a video or any other evidence related to the surgical strike carried out by the Army at terror launch pads in Pakistan. 

However, he asked the PM to give a befitting reply to Pakistan’s propaganda on the issue. Sisodia also defended Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the entire controversy and emphasised that he never demanded a video. “You neither give evidence, nor video to anybody. You only reply to the Pakistani propaganda, the way the Indian Army has done on the border. The country stands in unity with you,” Sisodia tweeted on Wednesday. 

“The response to the propaganda could not be video or footage alone. There should be a strategy to respond properly,” he said in another tweet. 

Taking to the media, Sisodia asked how ‘giving a befitting reply to Pakistan’s propaganda’ was being conveyed as ‘releasing a video’.  

Meanwhile, speaking to the media in Goa, the Deputy CM  alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the media attributed words to Kejriwal, which he never uttered. 

Referring to the video message by Kejriwal, Sisodia said the AAP convener never uttered the word ‘saboot’ (proof), but only asked PM Modi to fight against the propaganda unleashed by the international media with Pakistan questioning the authenticity of the operations.

“When the soldiers are risking their lives on the border for our safety, can’t we expect the (Union) government to at least counter the propaganda against the operation carried out by them (soldiers)?” asked Sisodia.

“The way the Indian soldiers have bravely gone to the Pakistani territory and eliminated terrorists, the PM or the Indian government, in a similar fashion, should fight back the propaganda,” he demanded.

He added places like Goa and the entire India is safe because of the soldiers who are braving all difficulties on the border. 

In a video message on Monday, Kejriwal had saluted the Prime Minister and the Indian Army for the surgical strikes and urged the PM to unmask the Pakistani propaganda.

The BJP alleged that his remarks amounted to ‘seeking proof’ of the Army action. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) shot back, saying that the BJP was playing politics on the issue.

“We have only demanded that the PM should fight the propaganda spread by the international media, especially Pakistan. It is the BJP and the media, which have attributed word ‘saboot’, which is not there at all in Kejriwal’s footage,” said Sisodia. 

“Those who have watched Arvind Kejriwal’s video footage, they have appreciated him. They (who have seen the video) have said it is true that at the international level, the media is poking fun at the surgical strikes,” he added.