NEW DELHI, 29 Jun: The Congress on Sunday cited the reported comments of India’s defence attache to Indonesia that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and accused the government of having “misled” the country.
The party also asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is “refusing” to preside over an all-party meeting to take the Opposition into confidence and why the demand for a special session of Parliament has been rejected.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a media report on X which quoted Indian Navy Captain Shiv Kumar, speaking at a seminar in Indonesia recently, that the Indian Air Force lost fighter jets to Pakistan on the night of 7 May, 2025 during its targeting of terror-linked sites in Pakistan.
Kumar’s remarks in the media report could not be independently verified and there was no immediate reaction from the government or the defence establishment on it.
The Congress had last month asked the government to be truthful about the country’s losses during the conflict with Pakistan after CDS Gen Chauhan had remarked that India rectified tactics and hit deep inside enemy territory after aircraft “loss.”
Gen Chauhan, however, dismissed as “absolutely incorrect” Islamabad’s claim of downing six Indian jets.
Latching onto the comment by the CDS, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had accused the government of misleading the nation on the India-Pakistan conflict and demanded holding a special session of Parliament immediately.
India launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan using long-range weapons in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on 10 May. (PTI)