Surgical strikes: Was the hype needed, no says ex-Army officer part of operation

New Delhi, Dec 8: Two years after the surgical strike carried out by the Army across the Line of Control, Lt Gen (retd) D S Hooda Friday said it was natural to have an initial euphoria over the success but the constant hype around the operation was unwarranted.

Gen Hooda was the Northern Army commander when the surgical strike were carried out on September 29, 2016 across the LoC as a response to a terrorist attack in Uri earlier that month.

The Army had said its special forces inflicted "significant casualties" on terrorists waiting there to cross into Indian territory.

Gen Hooda was speaking during a panel discussion on the topic, 'Role of Cross-Border Operations and Surgical Strikes,' on the first day of Military Literature Festival 2018 here.

The discussion was attended by Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore amongst a battery of former Generals and Army Commanders. Many war veterans cautioned against "politicisation" ofthe military operations, as per a Punjab government release.

Lt Gen Hooda said it was naturalto have initial euphoria about the success but the constantmaintenance of hype around the military operations wasunwarranted, the release said.

Responding to a question from the audience, General Hoodasaid in hindsight, it would have been better had we done it (surgical strikes) secretly. The aim of any such offensive had to be not only tactical but strategic too, which substantially hampers enemy morale,he said.

Citing the example of the 1981 Israeli air strikes onIraqi nuclear sites, which had caused considerable damage, Lt General (retd) N S Brar underscored the need to ensure long-term impact on the enemy before undertaking any such operation in the future.

Cautioning the political masters against being adventurists, General Brar asked if the political masters would have taken responsibility had there been any causalities in the strike, the release said quoting him.

Earlier, a two minute silence was observed in the memory of the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the service of the nation.

Punjab Governor and Chandigarh AdministratorV P Singh Badnore inaugurated the MLF.
Notably, MLF, which is into its second edition this year,is organised to raise awareness among people about the legacy of the armed forces, and rekindle among youth the motivating spirit to join the Indian Army.