New Delhi, August 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Congress MP Imran Masood has criticised former Chief of Defence Staff General (Retd) Anil Chauhan over his remarks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given the armed forces complete operational freedom ahead of Operation Sindoor, suggesting that Chauhan could enter politics if he wished to do so.
General Chauhan, speaking at the Vivekananda Centre in New Delhi on Tuesday, recalled discussions preceding India’s military response to the Pahalgam terror attack. He said the government had made its position on cross-border terrorism clear and that Prime Minister Modi had not directed the armed forces to act immediately.
According to Chauhan, Modi left the timing of the operation to military commanders while stressing that the mission should be executed in a manner that avoided human or technical failures and produced evidence of the action.
“The Prime Minister told us only one thing: That he is not under any kind of political pressure to do it immediately. He said, ‘Do it at your own time, but ensure that there is no reason for failure, either human or because of technical reasons, and we should have evidence of whatever we do.’ And the fourth thing which he told us was complete freedom of action,” Chauhan said.
Reacting to the former CDS’s remarks, Masood told IANS that Chauhan should consider entering politics if he was interested in doing so. He also referred to former Army Chief General V.K. Singh, who later entered electoral politics.
On Uttar Pradesh politics, Masood disagreed with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s assessment that the principal contest in the state would be between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP. Masood said the broader political contest was between two competing ideologies, which he described as being led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Modi.
“This is a battle of ideologies, and it is a battle for change in the country,” Masood said, adding that different allies could align on either side but that the political divisions were clear.
Commenting on the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet’s decision to provide lifelong free bus travel to women aged 60 and above, Masood questioned the practical utility of the measure. He also criticised the state government’s approval to purchase 25 lakh tablets for young people, arguing that such incentives would not address deeper challenges confronting students and youth.
Citing suicides among students at premier institutions, Masood claimed that 70 IIT students had died by suicide over the past five years and said the figure reflected the seriousness of the situation.
Masood also alleged that governments were increasingly relying on contractual employment instead of creating permanent jobs, linking the practice to reservations in permanent recruitment.
On the Allahabad High Court’s ruling concerning the hijab and school uniforms, Masood said clothing choices should not be viewed through a religious lens. He said covering one’s head was part of culture and maintained that individuals should be free to decide what they wear.
He also criticised BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over her comments on actor Kriti Sanon’s Raksha Bandhan advertisement, saying Ranaut should consider her own clothing choices before commenting on others.
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