Surgical strikes proof: Assam CM says KCR competing with Congress leaders for Gandhi family's favour

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hit back at his Telangana counterpart on Monday, saying that K Chandrasekhar Rao is competing with the Congress leaders “to prove loyalty to the Gandhi family.”

In a tweet, Sarma said that the Opposition “chose to insult our martyrs by again questioning the surgical strike on the anniversary of Pulwama attack.”

In an interesting move, Rao came in defence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who had demanded proof of surgical strikes on Pakistan from the Narendra Modi government.

On Sunday, addressing a press conference where he launched a broadside against the BJP and the central government, Rao said that he too has the same question as “there are apprehensions among the people.”

Read | Telangana CM KCR seeks proof of surgical strikes

“There was nothing wrong in Rahul Gandhi asking for proof on surgical strikes. I am also asking the same now. Let the government of India show (proof), it is their responsibility. (There are doubts as) BJP resorts to false propaganda,” Rao said.

“You are not a monarch, not a king. This is a democracy. And Rahul Gandhi in his capacity as an MP sought to know,” Rao said in an apparent reference to Modi.

Speaking at a public rally in Nalgonda on Saturday, Rao said he was pained by Sarma's comments on Rahul. Reacting to the Congress scion's questioning of the surgical strikes, Sarma had questioned if the BJP had ever sought the “proof of him being the son of former PM Rajiv Gandhi.”

Rao even demanded PM Modi and BJP chief J P Nadda to sack Sarma.

“On the anniversary of the Pulwama attack, Opposition has chosen to insult our martyrs by again questioning the surgical strike. KCR & Cong is in competition to prove their loyalty to the Gandhi family. Our loyalty is with Bharat. Those questioning the armed forces won’t be spared,” Sarma tweeted.

In another tweet later referred to Rao, Sarma said he is presenting the “videographic evidence of the surgical strike by our brave army.”

“In spite of this you question the valor of our Armed forces and insult them. Why are you so desperate to attack and malign our Army? New India will not tolerate insults against our Army,” Sarma said.

Meanwhile, Telangana Congress condemned Assam CM's remarks on Rahul. Party leaders lodged complaints at several police stations of Telangana against Sarma.

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