BJP leader admits downing of five Indian jets

Former MLA Swamy says Modi has failed so he has to go

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Subramanian Swamy, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, has admitted that Pakistan downed five Indian fighter jets, including Rafale aircraft, during the four-day military confrontation between the two neighbouring countries earlier this month.

Swamy, a known critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, fired a broadside against his own party's government, denouncing the failure of the authorities in apprehending the perpetrators of April 22 Pahalgam attack in which 26 tourists were killed.

Tensions between the two countries escalated after the attack in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) tourist resort. It turned into a full scale military confrontation, when India fired missiles at mosques and civilian targets in six Pakistani cities in the wee hours of May 7.

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was swift to respond to Indian aggression, downing six enemy aircraft. On May 10, Pakistan launched operation Bunaynum Marsoos, hitting dozens of Indian military targets and forcing New Delhi to request for the ceasefire, which Pakistan accepted.

Though the international media confirmed that Pakistan had shot down Indian warplanes, including its prized Rafales, but the Indian government kept mum to officially concede to the Pakistan's claims. Swamy is the first senior BJP leader to finally admit that Pakistani was right.

"Pakistan shot down five of our aircraft using Chinese fighter jets. Their performance was commendable, whereas our French Rafale jets were underwhelming," Swamy said, while speaking on a podcast. "Insufficient," he replied, when asked about the French-made Rafale jets.

Swamy also levelled serious allegations regarding the controversial Rafale deal, claiming that there was widespread corruption in the procurement process. "This will never be investigated as long as Modi is the prime minister, because he won't allow it," he asserted.

Swamy denounced the Indian government's failure in apprehending those, who perpetrated "a grave crime" in Pahalgam. "We should have avenged it, but we failed to do so," lamented Swamy, who served in the Rajya Sabha – upper house of Indian parliament – from 2016 to 2022.

In response to another question about Modi's public rapport with US President Donald Trump, he dismissed the relationship as "superficial". He said: "Modi is a master manipulator, deceiving the public. But Indians living abroad know the truth — he has no real stature in USA. He is, in essence, a servant."

Swamy also accused Modi of caving under international pressure during the crisis. "The United States asked for a ceasefire, and you submitted. Who authorised that decision? Was it the military? No. It was your fear of the United States, and especially Donald Trump. Modi's cowardice has been exposed."

He repeated his call for Modi's resignation. "We need a new course of action in the coming months," he said. "Modi must step down. He has failed to uphold the founding principles of our republic so he has to go. It's not just my opinion — many others agree, though they are afraid to say it publicly," he added.