New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): BJP MP Damodar Agarwal on Wednesday criticised the Congress party, saying they cannot digest the victory and achievements of the Indian Army after former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan made a very controversial remark stating India lost the conflict with Pakistan on the first day of Operation Sindoor.

'Congress leaders cannot digest the success and achievements of India, Indians, and the Indian Army. Usually, such statements are issued by them, which hurt India's pride. Portraying India's magnificent and resounding victory as a defeat is not a hallmark of patriotism,' he said.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Brij Lal also condemned the statement and alleged that the Congress has always been on the side of Pakistan. He further asserted that the party has consistently humiliated the country.

'I strongly condemn this statement. The Congress party has always been pro-Pakistani. This Congress party has always humiliated the country. Their leader, Rahul Gandhi, whenever he goes abroad, insults India...The whole country is watching, and the public will teach Congress a lesson,' Lal told ANI.

Earlier, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan claimed that India was defeated on the first day of Operation Sindoor and Indian aircraft were shot down during the four-day conflict.

The Congress leader said, 'On the first day (of Operation Sindoor), we were completely defeated. In the half-hour aerial engagement that took place on the 7th, we were fully defeated, whether people accept it or not. Indian aircraft were shot down. The Air Force was completely grounded, and not a single aircraft flew. If any aircraft had taken off from Gwalior, Bathinda, or Sirsa, there was a high probability of being shot down by Pakistan, which is why the Air Force was fully grounded.'

Furthermore, he questioned the need to maintain large military forces, stating that wars will be fought in the air.

'Recently, we saw during Operation Sindoor, there was not even a one-kilometre movement of the military. Whatever happened over two or three days was only an aerial war and missile warfare. In the future, too, wars will be fought in the same way. In such a situation, do we really need to maintain an army of 12 lakh soldiers, or can we make they do some other work?' he said.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people lost their lives. Pakistan retaliated, leading to a conflict from May 7 to 10. During the Operation, Indian said that it had killed over 100 terrorists in just 23 minutes using Rafale jets, SCALP missiles, and HAMMER bombs. (ANI)