Opposition flays ruling BJP’s “blatant politicisation” of armed forces

NEW DLEHI: Amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions, the opposition on Wednesday collectively flayed the ruling BJP for “blatant politicisation” of the armed forces’ sacrifices and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not convening an all-party meeting.
On a day when India shot down a Pakistani jet and lost one of its MiG-21 jets, 21 opposition parties met here and expressed their concerns over the emerging security situation.
Attended by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, the meeting followed the capture of an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot by Pakistan and the downing of a Pakistani aircraft by India — events arising from the IAF bombing of the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) biggest training camp at Balakot in Pakistan.
The parties in a joint statement said that national security transcends “narrow political considerations.
“The 21 parties expressed their deep anguish over the blatant politicisation of the sacrifices made by our armed forces by leaders of the ruling party.
“National security must transcend narrow political considerations,” said Gandhi while reading out the statement to the media.