Balakote strike aimed at political gains killed a pigeon only: Farooq Abdullah

SRINAGAR — National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday trained his guns at the Prime Minister Narendera Modi stating that BJP-led Centre ordered the air strike in Pakistan’s Balakot with the “sole purpose” of winning the general election and that only a pigeon was killed and many trees damaged. He said that Pakistan is now seeking compensation for the damaged trees.

According to reports, Abdullah alleged that the BJP had “failed” on all fronts and it was apprehended that there would be a fight or skirmish with Pakistan before the polls so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi became some kind of an “avatar” without whom India could not survive.

“This surgical strike (air strike) was done only for the purpose of election…totally for the election. We lost an aircraft worth crores. Be thankful that the IAF pilot survived and returned from Pakistan with respect,” Abdullah told reporters here.

He said that in the Balakote strike only a pigeon was killed while many trees were damaged and Pakistan was seeking compensation for the damaged trees now.

In a pre-dawn exercise on February 26, the Indian Air Force pounded Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training camp in Balakot. The air strike came in response to a terrorist attack in Pulwama on February 14, in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.

Abdullah said on Monday, “In Parliament, we knew they had failed on all other things and that there would be a fight or a skirmish with Pakistan in Kashmir so that he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) becomes some kind of an ‘avatar’ without whom India cannot survive. But I want to tell him that whether he or I live or not, India will live and move forward.”

The NC president said that an atmosphere of fear was being created to help the BJP in the polls.