'Insult to Army': BJP Slams Congress Over Remarks On Drone Costs, Operation Sindoor

Last Updated:May 21, 2025, 20:02 IST

Calling the Congress "DG ISPR", BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla condemned its leaders for their comments on drones and claims that Pakistan had shot down Rafale fighter jets

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress of propagating Pakistan's narrative, and "sharing the delusion" that its army won in the military standoff. (Image: PTI/File)

The BJP on Wednesday likened the Congress to the public relations department of the Pakistani armed forces, slamming its party leader Vijay Wadettiwar for his remarks criticising the central government on Operation Sindoor.

Calling the Congress “DG ISPR", BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla condemned its leaders for their comments on the cost of drones and claims that Pakistan had shot down Rafale fighter jets.

“Congress has officially replaced DG ISPR," Poonawalla said in a post on X. “Sena Ka apman = Cong ki pehchaan."

He listed out Wadettiwar’s claims about the Rafale jets, drone costs and how India suffered more losses, and further highlighted statements made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Ghulam Ahmad Mir.

“The incoming drones sent by Ghulam Ahmad Mir and Vijay Wadettiwar make it seem that the Congress party is behaving more like DG ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations). It looks like the Congress party has taken the onus on themselves to create content for Pakistan since Pakistani YouTubers’ and influencers ‘ shops have been shut down in India," he attacked Congress during a press conference in Delhi, as per news agency ANI.

Wadettiwar has claimed that India used missiles worth Rs 15 lakh to shoot down Pakistan’s China-made drones only worth Rs 15,000. Mir had claimed that Operation Sindoor was merely a “minor activity" during a public meeting.

“There are discussions that they (Pakistan) launched 5,000 China-made drones and the value of each drone was Rs 15,000. To destroy each drone worth Rs 15,000, we launched missiles worth Rs 15 lakh. This was a part of China’s tactic, these are the discussions, however I don’t know the truth," Wadettiwar had alleged.

The BJP spokesperson accused the Grand Old Party of propagating Pakistan’s narrative, and “sharing the delusion" that the Pakistan army won during the increased hostilities at the border. “The Congress is clearly assisting Pakistan to propagate its narrative. Congress shares Pakistan’s delusion that the Pakistan army won," he said.

He further challenged the Congress to show how the party had responded post the 26/11 terror attacks, adding, “Why don’t they tell the world the big moves they made after 26/11? ‘Sena ka apman, yahi Congress party ki ban chuki hai pehchan; maano Congress aur Pakistan do shareer ek jaan."

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 as a response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed. Indian armed forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

After India’s strike on terror infrastructure, Pakistan responded with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) and Jammu and Kashmir, as well as attempted drone attacks targeting civilian areas along the border regions. In response, India neutralised Pakistani air defence apparatus, radar infrastructure, and communication centres, and inflicted heavy damage across 11 airbases in Pakistan.

News politics 'Insult to Army': BJP Slams Congress Over Remarks On Drone Costs, Operation Sindoor