Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Tuesday raised doubts over the authenticity of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government's claims that the Indian Army had carried out surgical strikes along the Line of Control on September 29. He said on Twitter, "Every Indian wants surgical strikes against Pakistan, but not a fake one to extract political benefit."

Nirupam also questioned the way the attacks were being celebrated. Speaking to reporters later, he said, "The way BJP was indulging in politics, putting up banners and taking credit, gives a view whether such strikes did happen," according to The Indian Express. He added that the government should prove that the strikes had been carried out on terror launchpads in Pakistan.

The Congress, however, distanced itself from Nirupam's statements, saying it didn't agree with them. The All India Congress Committee expressed solidarity with the government and said the party "unequivocally supported the Indian Armed Forces" and the Centre's efforts to fight terrorism. However, it questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi supported Defence Minister Manohar's Parrikar's "immature remarks". Parrikar had compared the Army to Hanuman and Pakistan to a "bewildered anesthetised patient".

Reacting to Nirupam's remarks, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said, "Please don't do this to your own country. Politicians don't carry out strikes. You are questioning the martyrdom of our jawans." He added that this was the first time that any party had questioned the credibility of the Indian Army.

The Indian Army had announced that they had carried out surgical strikes along the LoC on September 29, in the aftermath of the attack in the Army base in Kashmir's Uri sector. Pakistan, however, has maintained that the strikes were nothing but "cross-border firing".