New Delhi: A day after videos of the 2016 surgical strikes against terror launch pads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir emerged, Opposition Congress on Thursday accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of misusing the valour of armed forces for electoral gains.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government cannot make the sacrifice of the army a tool to garner votes.

“Whenever Modi government starts failing, they misuse the valour of the army for their political benefit. While on the one hand, the Modi government is seeking credit for the sacrifice of the armed forces, on the other, it has failed to provide direction and vision to deal with Pakistan,” Surjewala told reporters.

He said BJP was “wrongfully glorifying” the PM for 2016 surgical strikes.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is trying to win votes using the surgical strikes. The nation wants to ask them did former the PMs Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh boast of the success of army operations during their tenure, just like them. Let the ruling dispensation remember that the blood and sacrifice of our brave soldiers cannot become a political vote-garnering tool for Modi Government and BJP,” Surjewala added.

Referring to Congress accusation of politicisation of surgical strikes, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said statements by Opposition leaders would “gladden the hearts of terrorists across the border.”

“Does the Congress believe there was a surgical strike or not? Are they saying the video is fake? Do they think the surgical strike was right or not? Please tell me, which election is happening now, or in the near future? There are no elections at the moment,” Prasad said.

The Minister said Congress should refrain from questioning the courage of the armed forces.

“The BJP asks Congress today — have you become so desperate that you will question the morale of the armed forces? Congress is trying to boost the morale of terrorists by saying all this. It is clear from its repeated comments that Congress is no longer a mainstream party but a fringe player,” Prasad added.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said Congress should be happy as they always demanded proof of the surgical strikes.

“I am surprised that Congress that ruled India for more than five decades is speaking in a language which is in tune with separatists and Pakistani establishment. Congress has demanded proof of surgical strike and now when proof has started emerging, they are saying it is for publicity,” Rijiju said.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy also rejected Congress’s charge of misusing surgical strikes to garner votes.

“Just because Congress cannot produce such videos, because there is none, we should not do it too? How is this exploiting people’s sentiments in BJP’s favour? If you did it, why did you hide it? It is just like the old saying ‘grapes are sour’,” Swamy told media.

Surgical strikes were conducted across the Line of Control (LoC) on September 29, 2016. The videos of the strikes, depicting how special forces crossed over the LoC and destroyed terrorist targets, were aired on news channels on Wednesday night.

The footage was shot from drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).