PM Modi says surgical strike left Congress in mourning, hits back at Rahul Gandhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at an election rally in Sikar, Rajasthan, criticised Congress president Rahul Gandhi for casting doubt on the Army’s surgical strike across the border in September 2016. He alleged that the operation had left the opposition party gloomy rather than proud.

Modi’s charge

Modi said the whole country had been filled with pride when the soldiers returned from the strike, but the Congress had been in mourning. Referring to Gandhi as the “naamdar” (aristocrat), he said the Congress leader was accusing him of lying, and asked whether anyone had thought the strike was a fraud on first hearing of it.

The rally fell on the final day of campaigning for the assembly election, with voting due on Friday. The Vasundhara Raje government was said to be up against strong anti-incumbency after five years in office.

Gandhi’s earlier claims

The remarks came three days after Gandhi accused Modi of turning the strike into a “political asset” to hide the Centre’s failure to create jobs. Gandhi also claimed that the previous UPA government had carried out three surgical strikes under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh but had not made them an election issue. He said Modi had intruded into the Army’s domain, and noted that details of the operation were made public just before the Uttar Pradesh election.

Other exchanges

The rivalry between the two leaders intensified during the campaign, extending even to their ancestors. Earlier in the day, at a rally in Hanumangarh, Modi alleged that the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara, one of the holiest Sikh shrines, went to Pakistan at Partition because of a lack of vision among Congress leaders of the time. He credited voters for the Kartarpur Corridor being built under the NDA government. The two leaders also sparred over Modi’s use of the slogan Bharat Mata Ki Jai at his rallies.

What happened next

The Congress won 99 seats in Rajasthan to the BJP‘s 73, and Ashok Gehlot became Chief Minister.

Originally published on 5 December 2018. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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