BJP presents 'surrender' list of ex-Cong govts, says Rahul Gandhi's remarks hurt India's self-respect 

New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, over his remarks on Operation Sindoor and the "Narendra, surrender" jibe, accusing him of insulting the Indian Armed Forces and undermining national pride. 

At a press conference held at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Trivedi accused the Congress party of having a long history of surrenders, which he said Gandhi is trying to deflect through baseless statements.

"If you want to understand what real surrender is, remember Rahul Gandhi -- just two years ago, you went abroad and said: 'Why are the defenders of democracy, America and Europe, silent and not interfering in India?' That was surrender," Trivedi said.

He cited several instances, adding, "On July 15, 2011, Rahul Gandhi said, 'It's impossible to totally control terrorism.' That was surrender in the face of terror. After the 26/11 attack, your government said that composite dialogue would not be affected by terrorist incidents. This was surrender to a terrorist mentality."

He further accused previous Congress governments of weakening India's strategic position. "In 1995, during the Narasimha Rao government, a phone call came, and India stopped its atomic explosion. That was surrender. In 1971, we captured 93,000 prisoners of war, yet PoK surrendered. In 1960, you surrendered 80 per cent of the Indus waters. In 1948, you surrendered part of Kashmir. In 1947, you gave away one-third of India to the Muslim League. Rahul Gandhi, the exploits of your party and family are filled with surrenders throughout Independent India's history."

Trivedi emphasised that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India would never surrender.

"Congress may surrender to anyone, but India will not. We are the only civilisation alive after thousands of years of invasions, something you seem unwilling to acknowledge," he said.

Calling PM Modi the "lion of Mother India", Trivedi said, "Rahul Gandhi, due to your habitual, natural, mischievous restlessness or cunningness, you constantly attack the Prime Minister, the Government of India, and the BJP -- that we tolerate. But if you lie about India's self-respect and the valour of our armed forces, that will not be tolerated at all."

He also accused Gandhi of being upset over Pakistan and China suffering setbacks, linking Operation Sindoor to a dip in Chinese defence company stocks.

"Maybe there's a deep ache in his heart because Pakistan has suffered a loss, and so has China. China's defence stocks -- anyone can check --AVIC Chengdu, which manufactures the PM-15 missiles, fell by 9 per cent. The company that makes JF-17 fighter jets dropped by 15 per cent. Overall, AVIC's J-10 and JF-17 stocks have fallen by about 20 per cent."

Trivedi also took aim at the Opposition bloc, accusing it of masquerading under a patriotic name, and said, "The alliance that calls itself 'INDIA' has now shown its true colours. Just as Pakistan has a PPP party, this 'INDI' bloc wore the mask of India but had Pakistan in its heart. Operation Sindoor has exposed them completely. Just naming themselves 'INDIA' does not make them truly Indian."

Addressing Rahul Gandhi's citation of former US President Donald Trump's claim of mediating a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Trivedi reiterated the Indian government's official stand.

"The Indian government has categorically denied any third-party mediation, including the claim made by President Trump. If you believe Trump's claim, then he also said he averted a nuclear conflict -- which has also been firmly denied by India's foreign ministry. You cannot selectively quote him," he said.