Modi 'involved' in 'leaking' information to Arnab on Balakot

Congress leader Rahul Gandhion Monday charged Prime Minister Narendra Modi with being'involved' in the 'leaking' of prior information on India'sair strikes in Balakot in Pakistan in 2019 to Republic TVeditor-in-chief Arnab Goswami.

It was also a 'breach' of the Official Secrets Act,he contended.

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.

Gandhi, who made the claim during his roadshow duringthe final day of his three-day election campaign in poll-boundTamil Nadu in this district, later reiterated it in a briefmedia interaction.

Only five people including the PM and the DefenceMinister would have prior 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 in his public address.

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 inquiry 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,''he claimed.

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 inquiry is because heis the person through which that message has gone to thisjournalist,'' Gandhi claimed.

''If it is not the Prime Minister why has he notordered an inquiry and said treason has taken place. Somebodyout of these five people has put the Indian nation, theIndian Air Force at risk. I want to find out who it is,'' hetold reporters later.

It is the first thing the Prime Minister would do.

''The only reason he has not done it is because he isinvolved in this type of leaking of information,'' Gandhialleged.

''The fact that this information is on WhatsApp andthis gentleman (Goswami) knows it three days before... ofcourse Official Secrets Act has been breached. The act hasbeen breached by one of those five people and also by thisperson who is busy telling somebody else,'' he said, expressingfears that ''enemy forces'' could access such information too ifit was on such social media platform.

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 byPakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Gandhi also hit out at Modi once again over theSino-India face-off, saying ''today the Chinese army issitting inside 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.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)