On Thursday 21 February, Lt General Deependra Singh Hooda (retd) who oversaw the 2016 surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) on 29 September 2016, was appointed the head of the Congress task force on national security.
The Congress party announced that Hooda will consult a “select group of experts,” and prepare a vision paper for the country.
Congress had criticised the Modi government in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack, alleging that the terror attack points towards intelligence lapses and failure of national security.
Congress’ official Twitter handle said the lapse in national security “points directly at NSA Ajit Doval.” It is at this time that Congress President Rahul Gandhi roped in Lt General DS Hooda to head the party’s task force on national security.
There were discussions on Twitter about the move. One point that Twitterati put across was how the move will benefit the nation.
But will Lt Gen Hooda be to Rahul Gandhi what Doval is to Modi? One journalist asked on Twitter.
Some said the move was a ‘surgical strike’ by the Congress on the Modi government.
There were some jokes around PM Modi taking credit for the surgical strikes. And there were also some Vicky Kaushal jokes. Twitterati said that while Congress has Lt Gen DS Hooda, BJP has Vicky Kaushal.
Others said Hooda opting to head the Congress task force shows what he thinks of Modi and Doval’s mishandling of defence.
This is how the government is expected to respond to the Pulwama attack, said Twitter.
Many criticised the Congress saying the party had earlier questioned the authenticity of surgical strikes and has now roped in the mastermind of the surgical strikes. Does the Congress believe in the surgical strike now, asked Twitter.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)