New Delhi, May 31, 2025 (ANI): In reference to the CDS Anil Chauhan’s remarks over Rafale aircraft lost during Operation Sindoor, Telangana’s Irrigation and CAD Minister, Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated Rahul Gandhi’s questions to the Central government over the issue and said that government should stop denying this fact. At the same time, he also condemned the allegation of the Centre, on the Rahul Gandhi, of being ‘non patriotic’. He said, “As it appears very clearly, Rafale aircraft were shot down in the four-day operations... An hour ago, CDS General Anil Chauhan confirmed this... The government of India should now stop denying this.”
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00:00I once again reiterate that we in the Congress party salute the Indian Air Force, every single person, their fighter pilots, their airmen, their officers, for the glorious victory achieved in the four-day war.
00:17But as it appears very clearly, Rafale fighter aircraft were downed in the four-day operations and when Rahul Gandhiji first pointed it out, as a question to the external affairs minister,
00:40it was very bizarre and strange that the ruling party functionaries at all level accused him of not being patriotic.
00:51Now today, an hour back, the Chief of Defense CDS, General Anil Chauhan, has confirmed that Rafale aircraft were brought down in the four-day operation.
01:13I must also quote here what exactly Air Marshal Bharti, the DG Air Operation, said in the DGMO briefing.
01:24He said that losses are normal in a combat, the objectives of the whole operation have been achieved, but all the pilots have come home.
01:38We are very happy about that, that the objectives have been achieved and all the pilots have come home.
01:43But the fact that the fighter aircraft were downed is something that needs to be, you know, the Government of India should stop denying that.
01:55Now that the CDS, now that the CDS himself has mentioned it, and indirectly Air Marshal Bharti had mentioned it in his briefing along with the DGMO,
02:07when the DGMO with the Director General of Military Operations, spoke to the press along with all the three service directors of operations.
02:19He specifically said, when replying to a question from the media, losses are normal in combat, the mission objectives have been achieved, and all the pilots are home.
02:34He meant the pilots have come home, the aircraft have not returned to their bases.
02:40So this is a matter that the Government of India, instead of denying it, should, we are only saying that, yes, we congratulate our Armed Forces,
02:52we support them in every endeavour, in the many years of Government, of Congress Government, we have strengthened the Armed Forces and met every need of the Armed Forces.
03:06We think that they have done a great job, we are very proud of them, we salute them, but the fact is, I mean, General Chauhan has given a statement today,
03:16that, that, why they were down, what mistakes were made, that are important, that is what, our leader, Rahul Ji said in the first instance,
03:31for which, a lot of negative campaign was done by, against him, by the BGP.
03:37Today, I mean, the whole country must realise that, that, for some reason, the Government of India, were not, you know, upfront with whatever happened.
03:51The other thing that, needs a reassessment by the Government of India, is that, most of the firing, in this 4 day operation, most of it,
04:05was done by the respective countries, from within their international borders.
04:10So, when, when the firing was done by the respective countries, from within their international borders,
04:20and we will still lose fighter aircraft, I think, a serious reassessment of the technologies, needs to be done,
04:32so that, lessons are learnt, and we go forward, and improve in, in those aspects.