Cross-border operations had happened in past too, says D S Hooda

Retired Lieutenant General D S Hooda said on Saturday that cross-border operations had happened in the past too but disapproved of politicising the matter.

Responding to a question on the Congress party's claim that six surgical strikes had been carried out during its rule too, Hooda told reporters here, "Certainly cross-border operations have been carried out by the Indian Army in the past too. I am not aware of exact dates and areas." The Congress on Thursday came out with a list of six anti-terror surgical strikes carried out during the UPA rule, asserting that it never tried to take political advantage from military operations as was being done by the BJP.

The Congress released the list at a press conference after BJP leader Arun Jaitley took a jibe at the opposition party, saying its surgical strikes were "invisible and unknown".

The former chief of the Indian Army's Northern Command said it was not good to politicise the Army.

"It is not a good thing to bring the Army in poll campaign by political parties. The Election Commission too has said this. Ultimately, it's the institution which suffers damage in long term," he said on the sidelines of a function here.

Hooda was here to attend a dialogue on India's national security.

"Protecting our people is one of the most important aspects in the national security strategy we prepare," he said in the function.

Hooda, who recently headed a Congress panel on national security and submitted a report, also said that the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir is an important challenge being faced today.