BJP sings paeans to PM, expects electoral gains

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 29

With most Opposition parties supporting surgical strikes across the border, the BJP really does not have much to do but to soak in “major political gains” from the forceful message they have sent to the people — angry and upset over repeated offences from across the borders.

Significantly, the party leaders are doing what they should be in the circumstances — congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi (BJP president Amit Shah even called it a rise of a “new India where the government doesn’t get cowed down by nefarious designs of terrorists”). But they are careful enough to not let the focus shift from the Armed Forces and its contributions. 

“It is for the first time, in this frontal fight against terrorism, India under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi is feeling secure,” Shah tweeted, perhaps as a reply to the criticism the party and the Prime Minister had been getting post-Pathankot and Uri attacks.  “Today’s strikes signal the rise of a new India where the Government doesn’t get cowed down by nefarious designs of terrorists,” the BJP president added. But the Army remained at the centre of the official statement he issued. 

“The Army has shown great valour and bravery by destroying launching pads and training camps of terrorists in PoK in its surgical strike,” he said. “The Army has launched a successful surgical strike and damaged terrorists in a big way without suffering any casualty. This is a proof of our Army’s bravery, capacity and patriotism. In this long war against terrorism a clear response has been given to terrorists by destroying their breeding centre for the first time,” he added.

Sources say party spokespersons, apart from hailing the “assertive new India under the BJP leadership”, have been asked to keep the narrative focussed around the Indian Army.