UPA govt did multiple surgical strikes, never used them to seek votes: Manmohan Singh

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh may be a man of few words but he did not shy away from condemning the politicisation of armed forces and anti-terror operations by the Modi government.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Manmohan Singh said it was “shameful” how PM Modi was using the 2016 surgical strike as well as the recent Balakot airstrike for votes.

Manmohan Singh said that multiple surgical strikes were carried out by the UPA regime but the government never publicised them or use them to garner votes.

“Multiple surgical strikes took place during our [UPA] tenure, too. For us, military operations were meant for strategic deterrence and giving a befitting reply to anti-India forces than to be used for vote garnering exercises,” said Manmohan Singh.

He slammed the Modi government for using the valour of the Indian armed forces as a poll plank. Manmohan Singh said, “In the past 70 years, a government in power never had to hide behind the valour of our armed forces. Such attempts to politicize our forces are shameful and unacceptable.”