New Delhi/IBNS: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday slammed Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge's “small war” remark and said Rahul Gandhi's questioning the loss of Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft during “Operation Sindoor” gives “oxygen” to Pakistan.

BJP MP Sambit Patra said such remarks by the two Congress leaders are like “cheating the country and the bravery of the armed forces”.

He also said that “we all know why” terrorist Hafiz Saeed “likes” Rahul Gandhi.

“Congress party, Kharge ji is saying that Operation Sindoor is a small war...Are Rahul Gandhi and Kharge ji not able to understand that our Armed Forces entered Pakistan and struck nine terror sites there, and more than 100 terrorists were killed? After retaliation by Pakistan, their 11 airbases were destroyed, and today, Pakistan is crying in pain. And you are saying that Operation Sindoor was a small war,” ANI news agency quoted Sambit Patra as saying.

“Rahul Gandhi ji has been asking for proof for the last two days. We have been presenting digital proofs since day one. Pakistanis themselves have shown evidence. Despite this, you are asking for proof of the courage of the Armed Forces,” the BJP MP added.

Patra alleged that such statements by Rahul Gandhi made him the “poster boy” in Pakistan.

“At the time of Operation Sindoor, Pak DGMO had shown your (Rahul Gandhi) videos...You do the work of giving oxygen to Pakistan. Today we all know why Hafiz (terrorist Hafiz Saeed) likes Rahul,” he said.

What did Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi say?

Addressing an event in Karnataka, Kharge questioned the alleged failure of Indian intelligence agencies in preventing the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

“PM Modi was scheduled to visit Kashmir on April 17. But intelligence agencies advised against it — they warned of large-scale violence. The visit was quietly cancelled. I ask: Were you aware of this or not? And if you were, why didn't you inform the public? Had people been warned, 26 innocent lives could have been saved,” Kharge said.

“Now, in these chhutput yuddha (small wars/skirmish) that have taken place here and there, Pakistan has been downplaying India at all levels, particularly with tacit support from China,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi in his post on X, alleged wrongdoing by the NDA government, stating: “Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that the GOI did it. Who authorised it? How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result?”

Operation Sindoor was a fierce military operation launched by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on May 7, in response to the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists who were enjoying their vacation at Baisaran Valley, which is referred to as India's Switzerland.

The operation aimed to dismantle terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

After the Pakistan Army again targeted Indian civilians and resorted to cross-border firing, the Indian Armed Forces retaliated, destroying defence systems of the hostile neighbour.