Should I Count How Many Mosquitoes I Killed: Union Minister VK Singh On Balakot Casualty

Union Minister Vijay Kumar Singh on Wednesday tweeted:
“There were too many mosquitoes at 0300 hours, I killed them all with HIT (mosquito repellent). Now should I be counting how many mosquitoes I killed or go back to sleep peacefully?”

Union Minister VK Singh tweeted the above quote on Monday morning in Hindi. His comments are in response to questions raised by the opposition on Balakot strike casualty. He also said pointing out at leaders in opposition who want to know the number of terrorists killed in Balakot air strike, “should be tied to the aircraft and taken along the next time”.

“Next time when India does something like that, I feel that those who raise questions should be tied under the aircraft and taken along. When the bombs are dropped, they can see the targets and after that they can get off, count the casualties and come back,” VK Singh told news agency ANI.

Explaining his tweet, VK Singh said: “Do you count things? Bombs were exploded, buildings were hit and will people not be killed after an explosion of a 1000-kg bomb? If killed, then you make an estimate of number of people killed. I don’t know who wants to count it. It’s unfortunate.”

The opposition has been targeting the government to spill beans on the real count and account of terrorists killed in the Balakot strike amid international media reports – many quoting Pakistani locals – questioning the impact of the IAF operation.

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman refused to confirm a casualty figure. “The foreign secretary gave the statement; that is the figure,” she said, referring to the briefing by Vijay Gokhale the day the air strikes took place.

While the government has not given any figure, BJP president Amit Shah claimed at a political rally that over 250 terrorists were killed, provoking opposition digs. VK Singh had said it was not a confirmed figure but an estimate.

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, too, on Monday, addressing a press conference stated that it is government’s responsibility to declare the exact number. “We don’t count casualty, we count target,” said Indian Air Force chief.

Stay tuned for more updates!