Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hit the nail on the head by saying that it is for the Army to do the talking with regard to surgical strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It is a dignified response to rather cheap politics of his detractors. Having initially supported Modi’s line of action to dismantle the terror machine in PoK, some politicians have subsequently pitched for so-called evidence of the surgical strikes.

The Prime Minister, by asking his cabinet colleagues to desist from making comments on surgical strikes, has made sure that there is no loose talk on sensitive defence matters. The PM’s directives were issued during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Soon after the surgical strikes, political parties seemed to unitedly support the Army’s action against the terrorist camps in PoK. Some have changed tack subsequently.

They now want ‘proof’ ostensibly to counter Pakistan’s propaganda which has sought to discredit India’s claims. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal released a video message on Monday "saluting" Prime Minister over surgical strikes along the LoC, and urging him to "unmask" Pakistan's propaganda by presenting evidence. Quick on the uptake, on Tuesday Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam termed the surgical strikes on terror launch pads as “fake”.

"Every Indian wants surgical strikes against Pakistan, but not a fake one to extract just political benefit by BJP. Politics over national interest (sic)," Nirupam tweeted, kicking up a row over the emotive issue. At the party level, Union Minister Uma Bharti tried to put the record straight, saying leaders who harboured doubts over the Army's surgical strike, should take Pakistani citizenship.

While dissociating itself from Nirupam’s comments, the Congress demanded that the evidence be made public to “expose Pakistan's malicious propaganda”. Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday stated that "some politicians" were speaking the "language of Pakistan" on the surgical strikes and said it was "not fair" to ask jawans to "show proof" of their operations against terrorists. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad hit out at Arvind Kejriwal for his remarks.

The "irresponsible talk" of those demanding proof only shows their "lack" of confidence in and respect for our jawans, as they are questioning assertions of the country's army generals in public, he said. All told, a surgical strike, by its very nature, cannot be so minutely planned as to also film it in the process. It is meant to be a quick and effective action at predetermined targets or spots to neturalize the enemy, period.