Staff Correspondent
Countering the BJP’s accusation that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is unconcerned about India’s national security, Lt Gen DS Hooda told a news channel that the Gandhi family scion is very much bothered about security issues, pointing to the party’s formation of a task force on national security on which Hooda has been appointed as the head. The task force was incidentally formed much before the Pulwama attack. Rahul is often accused by the Modi government of jeopardizing India’s security by finding faults in the Rafale deal.
Hooda led the 2016 surgical strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan, following the attack on the Uri army camp that killed 20 soldiers. The Congress’s committee will also comprise of other experts to prepare a report. Hooda told India Today TV, “He is very keen, which is why he asked me to do this (lead the national security committee and prepare a report within a month).”
In an interview to The Quint responding to the Pulwama attack, he said the country cannot be “not doing anything” and “has to retaliate.” “Now, what is the form and shape that this retaliation takes, economic and military pressure that has to be put on Pakistan, is something that the government needs to carefully think through. I think the government should not get swayed by public opinion. Decide what is the best way forward…“For example, if you are looking at using the military option, then how much can you escalate, what’s the likely response that could come from Pakistan, how well prepared are we? So all these things need to be coolly debated through,” Hooda was quoted by The Quint.