Who was behind coup story, asks BJP.

Seven years after reports of an attempted coup was reported and swiftly refuted, BJP has attacked the the top Congress leadership based on a recent newspaper article. 

On a day of high drama, after BJP targeted Congress over allegations against Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra, BJP posed a few tougher questions to Congress. Citing media reports from 2012, BJP asked Congress whether ministers in UPA II were involved in planting 'fake' stories about an Army coup at the height of the India Against Corruption movement in January 2012. 

The BJP asked if Rahul Gandhi was the 'brain' behind these conspiracies, and wondered why UPA ministers spread these 'lies' despite the Intelligence Bureau calling any news about these attempts 'false'.

On Wednesday, the BJP Twitter handle asked Congress if it had planned a coup while sharing a media report. It wrote: “Plotting a coup is 1st order treason. But the Congress had no qualms taking this route to gratify its perpetual hunger for power! Was it authorised by then party VP @RahulGandhi? On whose behest was he acting? We demand an answer!”

The BJP spokesperson GVLN Rao accused the UPA II of ‘leaking info’ of a ‘fake’ Army coup to the media and sought the name of the minister who had leaked the info.

During a press conference, BJP national spokesperson GVLN Rao said: “This Congress party had not only indulged in loot, but they have also played havoc with national security of this country and played with security.”

1. Attempt to Defame Army: Rao

He added: “This is not just a political conspiracy but also an attempt to defame the Indian army. In January 2012, there were media reports that claimed that the Indian Army was staging a coup against the then-Manmohan Singh government. The stories were planted by senior leaders of the Congress party, including certain Cabinet ministers. This was a manufactured coup. Based on the information that was given to him, the then-prime minister asked the IB to present facts on the rumour. Even after the IB had cleared the rumours, the UPA still planted the story in media that attempted to malign the Indian Army.”

2. Was Rahul Brain Behind Conspiracy?

He added: “What was the motive behind plotting a fake story about the army coup? Who were the ministers involved in spreading lies and defaming the army? Was Rahul Gandhi the brains behind this dangerous conspiracy? Was this attempt done at the behest of the ISI or Pakistani Army which has a record of staging coups? Such a false alarm manufactured by an elected government is an attempt to compromise Indian Army and subvert Indian democracy.”

3. Was ISI involved?

Rao also asked if Pakistan’s ISI was involved or whether this was an attempt to malign the Army or to equate it with the coup-happy Pakistan Army?

In 2012, there were media reports that an entire unite of infantry based in Hisar had started moving towards Delhi while as section from Agra also moved towards Palam.

4. AK Antony Reaction

Ex-Defence Min AK Antony on BJP's allegations that UPA regime had asked IB for a coup attempt to topple Manmohan Singh govt: As Defence Min at that time, there were lot of ques in RS&LS, I'd given detailed ans. Please go through Parliament website, you'll get the answer I'd given ​