New Delhi, March 5: Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar Tuesday slammed the Congress for "rubbishing" the claims of the armed forces and "questioning" their strength. The Union minister's comments came after the Congress questioned the basis for BJP chief Amit Shah's claim of 250 terrorists getting killed in the Indian Air Force's air strike in Pakistan's Balakot and asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi or his government was not giving out the details of casualties.

"I cannot understand what has happened to the Congress. They talk opposite of the country's popular sentiments. They are rubbishing the armed forces' claims and questioning their strength. It does not happen in any democracy that trust is not placed in the Army. Only the Congress can commit such a sin," Javadekar told reporters here. 'Good News for Pakistan', Says Prakash Javadekar After Opposition's Joint Statement Charges Govt of Politicising IAF Raids.

Congress spokesperson R P N Singh had on Monday accused the prime minister and the BJP leadership of politicising the air strike and said that Modi should apologise to the country for trying to portray the Indian Air Force as being "weaker without Rafale".

He had counter-accused the BJP and its leaders of spreading misinformation and "false propaganda" over the air strike ahead of elections and said the people of the country would give them a befitting reply. "It is extremely shocking and tragic that the prime minister of this country is pointing fingers at opposition parties for questioning the Army or the Air Force," Singh had said.