Modi the person "through which" Balakot information went to

Congress leader Rahul Gandhion Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the ''personthrough which'' prior information on India's air strikes inBalakot in Pakistan in 2019 was made available to Republic TVeditor-in-chief Arnab Goswami.

The Congress MP, however, did not provide evidence toback up his claim. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) also didnot immediately respond to the unfounded claim.

Addressing a roadshow here during his final day ofelection campaign in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, he said only fivepeople including the PM and the Defence Minister would haveprior information of the planned strikes.

''Some days back it came out that a journalist knewabout the air strikes in Balakot. Three days before the(Indian) air force bombed Pakistan, an Indian journalist wastold it was going to happen,'' he said.

This meant the lives of our IAF pilots were put at'risk,' he said.

''Now, five people in this world knew about Balakot(air strikes). Prime Minister of India, the Defence ministerof India, the National Security Adviser and the Chief of theAir Force and the Home minister.'' ''Nobody else in the world knew about Balakot beforeit happened. Now I want to understand why an enquiry has notstarted on who told this journalist about Balakot before ithappened. The reason is that one of these five people toldthis man. One of these five people betrayed our Air Force,'' hecharged.

He alleged that ''one of these people put the lives ofour pilots in danger.'' ''If the Prime Minister did not do it then why is henot ordering an enquiry. Think about it. The only reason thatthe Prime Minister has not ordered an enquiry is because heis the person through which that message has gone to thisjournalist,'' Gandhi claimed.

Else, the PM should investigate and tell which one ofthese five people did it, Gandhi demanded.

Purported chats between Goswami and former BroadcastAudience Research Council (BARC) head Partho Dasgupta, whichmentioned that the former was privy to the 2019 air strike,by the IAF on the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot hadsurfaced recently.

The IAF had carried out the strike deep insidePakistan on February 26, 2019 in the wake of killing of 40CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district then by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Gandhi also hit out at Modi once again over theSino-India face-off, saying ''today the Chinese army is sittinginside Indian territory.'' ''The Prime Minister has said he has a 56 inch chest,big chest. Today the Chinese army is sitting inside Indianterritory. Thousand km of Indian land has been taken by theChinese,'' he said.

He alleged that Modi cannot say the word China as he''does not have the courage to say'' so.

''You look at his speeches for the last 3-4 months, hedoes not say the word China. When the Chinese entered ourterritory he lied that nobody has come. After some days theArmy and Defence minister said the Chinese army had come intoIndian territory,'' Gandhi added.

''And the only reason the Chinese have the guts andthe courage to come into this country is because NarendraModi has destroyed the economy and weakened (the country) bydividing it,'' he charged.PTI SA SSPTI PTI