Mysore: Former chief minister of Karnataka and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah has claimed that there were about 10-12 surgical strikes carried out during the Congress regime. They, however, didn’t take political advantage over it, he claimed.

Siddaramaiah’s statements come against the BJP accusing the party of using the surgical strikes to gain “political mileage” ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

“They should not take political advantage from incidents such as this. If that is the case, then even during the Congress, we conducted about 10-12 surgical strikes. We never took advantage,” remarked Siddaramaiah.

He further went on to say, “Bangladesh was liberated during Indira Gandhi’s time, is this a bigger incident than that? Nobody should politicise National Security, Army and war.”

Siddaramaiah’s statements were made in reference to the air strikes carried out by the Narendra Modi-led government.

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Speaking to MyNation, BJP spokesperson S Prakash responded to Siddaramaiah’s comments and stated that it is the Congress who is working overtime to politicise issues such as national security and war. "Siddaramaiah must take a look at their own party members' comments," stated Prakash.

Air strikes were carried out by the Indian Air Force on Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest terror camp in Pakistan’s Balakot area.

The attack on the camp killed a large number of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders in the camp.

The Congress was quick to question the government’s claims of killing over 300 terrorists in the Balakot air strikes.

The air strikes were retaliatory measure taken by the Prime Minister as a response to the dastardly Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel.

A vehicle that was loaded with explosives rammed into a convoy that was heading to Srinagar from Jammu.

Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Indian Army had carried out surgical strikes on seven terrorists launch pads across the LoC on September 29,2016.

This attack was in response to an attack on its base in Uri earlier that month. At the time as well, Congress questioned the veracity of the surgical strikes.