While addressing a massive rally in Jalandhar, PM Modi said, "These are the same people (Congress) who questioned the Indian Army over surgical strikes."

Three years after the Pulwama terror attack, where 40 CRPF soldiers were martyred in one of the worst Pakistan-backed terror attacks in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, February 14, lambasted the Congress for questioning the Indian Army over the surgical strike, stating that the people of Punjab "should be careful o them." This was the Prime Minister's first visit to the poll-bound state after over a month since his convoy was blocked by protesters in a major security breach.

While addressing a massive rally in Jalandhar, PM Modi said, "People who have not done any work have now arrived in Punjab to spread lies. These people who claim to make Punjab drug free are the same who have opened liquor shops everywhere. Punjab needs to be careful from such people. These are the same people who question the Indian Army over a surgical strike. What kind of people are they?"

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been raising questions over the surgical strike, seeking proof from the Army. Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao defended Rahul for raising questions over the surgical strike, claiming that the BJP spreads false propaganda.

Pulwama Terror Attack And India's Response

February 14 is observed as a black day for India as the country had lost 40 bravehearts back in 2019. On 14 February 2019, a suicide bomber of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group had attacked the CRPF convoy in the Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The suicide bomber was 22-year-old Adil Ahmad Dar who rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus. The convoy had 78 buses in which around 2,500 personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. The attack, which was reported near Awantipora at nearly 3:15 pm resulted in the death of 40 CRPF Jawans, while many others were left injured.

In February 2019, the Indian Airforce had carried out an Airstrike following the attack on the convoy of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on February 14.