BJP Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey on Friday claimed that the Congress-backed Chandrashekhar government had signed a treaty with Pakistan to share advanced information about each other’s military movements, escalating the row over the Modi government’s alleged tip-off to Islamabad on Operation Sindoor.
The Congress hit back at Dubey, saying the party had withdrawn support to the Chandrashekhar government by the time the treaty was signed.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been stepping up his attack on external affairs minister S. Jaishankar over his assertion that he had given Pakistan advance warning of Operation Sindoor. Rahul had asked how many fighter jets India had lost as a result.
The external affairs ministry had alleged a “misrepresentation of facts” by Rahul, saying Pakistan had been warned during the “early phase after Operation Sindoor’s commencement” and not before it started.
BJP MP Dubey on Friday posted on X a copy of the “Agreement on advance notice on military exercises, manoeuvres and troop movements” between India and Pakistan in 1991.
“Rahul Gandhiji, this is an agreement made during the time of your government. In 1991, your party-supported government made an agreement that India and Pakistan will exchange information about any attack or army movement. Is this agreement treason? Congress is hand in glove with the Pakistani vote bank, does it suit you to make objectionable comments on Foreign Minister @DrSJaishankar ji?” he wrote.
Responding to Dubey, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said: “This person needs to know that in late February 1991, Indian National Congress had withdrawn support from the Chandrashekhar govt. Elections to the 10th Lok Sabha had already been announced. For further information, please contact your party colleague @NeerajShekharMp”
BJP MP Neeraj Shekhar is the son of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar. The Congress had withdrawn support to his government on March 6, 1991. The agreement with Pakistan — aimed at preventing misunderstandings that might lead to conflicts — was signed by Chandrashekhar’s caretaker government on April 6, 1991. It came into force on August 19, 1992, during the Congress government of P.V. Narasimha Rao.
Earlier this week, the Congress had slammed former Prime Minister and Janata Party leader Morarji Desai for allegedly informing Pakistani dictator Zia-ul-Haq that Indian spies were keeping track of their nuclear plans.