Opposition lauds IAF strike, slams NDA govt

New Delho, Feb 27: Leaders of 21 opposition parties who met in parliament today said they backed the armed forces and expressed deep concern for the Air Force pilot who went missing during this morning's engagement with Pakistani Air Force.

After Opposition meeting, Congress President Rahul Gandhi: "The meeting of leaders of 21 political parties condemned the dastardly Pulwama attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14, 2019 and lauded the action taken by our armed forces."

"The leaders are concerned about the missing pilot. The opposition parties express deep anguish over the blatant politicisation of the sacrifice of the armed forces by the ruling party. National security must transcend political priorities." Condemning Pakistani misadventure, Gandhi also said, "PM has regrettably not convened an all-party meeting as per established convention," he said.

The opposition parties also pointed out that the government has failed to take them into confidence - a convention in such circumstances.

The 21 parties issued joint statement: "Leaders condemned Pakistani misadventure and expressed deep concern for safety of our missing pilot. Leaders urged government to take the nation into confidence on all measures to protect India's sovereignty, unity and integrity."

In a statement released at the end of the meeting, the opposition said, "The Prime Minister has, regrettably, not convened an all-party meeting as per the established practice in our democracy". The leaders, the statement said, "urged the government to take the nation into confidence on all measures to protect India's sovereignty, unity and integrity".

A resolution, however, was passed which said the opposition will stand with the country and against the enemy at this moment.

The opposition meeting at the parliament came this afternoon following the escalation in hostilities with Pakistan since yesterday's airstrikes on a Jaish-e Mohammad terror camp in Balakot.

The meeting was attended by senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu, Sharad Pawar, JMM leader Shibu Soren, BSP leader SC Mishra, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party leader Derek O'Brian, Sharad Yadav and Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh.