Pak used to return beheaded bodies of jawans, now they release pilot 'within 48 hrs': Shah

BJP president Amit Shah Tuesday underlined marked changes in India's response to terrorism from across the border, saying earlier Pakistan used to return beheaded bodies of jawans, but now they had to release a captured IAF pilot "within 48 hours". "Earlier, the Pakistani forces used to give beheaded jawans body to India...See the change now, within 48 hours, Wing Commander Abhinandan was released and he is among us," Shah said while addressing party workers at a rally here.

Indian Air Force also went inside Pakistan and demolished terror training camps of Jaish-e-Mohammed following the Pulwama attack, proving the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah said. The BJP president said earlier terrorists used to explode bomb in some parts of the country and run away, but now, befitting reply is given to every such terror incidents.

Beheading of two Indian jawans by Pakistani troops in 2013 had drawn nationwide outrage. It was a chilling reminder of the brutal attack on Captain Saurabh Kalia and his team by Pakistani troops in Kaksar sector of Kargil during the 1999 conflict. The BJP president came down heavily on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, asking what his party gave to Jharkhand in the ten years of the UPA rule at the Centre.

"Rahul baba comes to Jharkhand and pleads to the people to form government of gathbandhan (alliance)," he said, adding that the "the people have not given any less number of opportunities to you (Rahul Gandhi)". Shah's dig on Gandhi came four days after the Congress president's rally in Ranchi, where he had attacked the Narendra Modi government for "stealing money from Indian Air Force and putting it in the pocket of businessman Anil Ambani".

"For ten years UPA government was in power (at the Centre). I would like to ask, what did you give to Jharkhand," Shah said. "While the UPA-2 government gave only Rs 55,253 crore, the BJP-led government (at the Centre) has given 3.13 lakh crore to Jharkhand, besides other developmental projects," the BJP chief said, reeling out comparative figures.

Listing out the developmental works done in Jharkhand under the present regime, Shah said it was possible because people had given majority to both the governments at the Centre and in the state. Shah also hit out at the opposition alliance and sought to know about its leader.

"Those who are coming in the name of alliance, just tell us who is the leader of the gathbandhan (alliance)... Should they say it or not," Shah quipped. "They do not have policies, leaders, principles and have come together only for lust of power," Shah said.

Asking voters whether such an alliance could eradicate poverty, give the country its honour and keep it secured, Shah said only Modi could do all of these.

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