New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sharpened its attack on Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi following his remarks accusing External Affairs Minister Jaishankar of being silent on how many aircraft the Indian Air Force lost during Operation Sindoor.

The party has accused the Congress MP of speaking the 'language of Pakistan' after his remarks.

BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan alleged that Rahul Gandhi distrusted the Indian Armed Forces. He further said that the nation deserves a more 'patriotic' Leader of Opposition than the latter.

'Rahul Gandhi has been doubting the nation, the government, and also distrusting the Indian armed forces. Now, he is sounding like the propaganda in chief of Pakistan. Let alone the Leader of Opposition, our nation deserves a more responsible and patriotic parliamentarian than Rahul Gandhi. Pakistan is now parading Rahul Gandhi as a poster boy for Pakistan, and they are peddling Rahul Gandhi's tweets to spin and fabricate an inimical narrative to India and our Indian armed forces,' CR Kesavan said.

Furthermore, Kesavan highlighted the press briefing conducted by the Indian forces on May 11, where they presented all the facts. However, he said Rahul Gandhi won't 'trust' the forces.

'The Indian armed forces, very clearly in their press briefing on May 11th, have categorically, beyond doubt, established all the facts, but Rahul Gandhi does not trust them. The Indian armed forces. He has no faith in what the Indian armed forces said. He continues to rake up nonexistent issues. This shows that the nation never comes first for Rahul Gandhi or the Congress Party... Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party have mortgaged our national interest in favour of cheap political profit and expediency', he added.

Asserting that Rahul Gandhi must ask how many Pakistani planes and missiles were shot down, BJP leader Gourav Vallabh highlighted that the Congress MP won't ask these questions.

'Rahul Gandhi is asking how many Indian planes were shot down; he should ask how many Pakistani planes were shot down, how many Pakistani missiles were destroyed in the air. He will not ask this. He will speak the language of Pakistan', he told ANI.

BJP MP Brij Lal also slammed Rahul Gandhi and termed his remarks 'immature'.

'Such questions are very immature. Operation Sindoor is ongoing... The visits of our Prime Minister and Defence Minister refuted claims by Pakistan of destroying our Adampur and Bhuj air bases... EAM said we destroyed only terror bases and gave the message that we are destroying them only. When Pakistan tried to attack us through Turkish and Chinese drones, our indigenous missiles destroyed them... This is not only the defeat of Pakistan, but also of Turkey and China. We know Rahul Gandhi's admiration of China... Such questions from him depict irresponsible behaviour', Brij Lal told ANI.

While the BJP went on to slam Rahul Gandhi, the INDIA Bloc came out in defence of the Raebareli MP.

Congress leader Supriya Shrinate hit back at the BJP and said that attacking the Lok Sabha LoP for asking questions will 'not help'.

Srinate asked why the government 'forewarned' Pakistan about the Operation Sindoor and why she must not believe that Pakistan must have warned 'dreaded' terrorists, Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, which allowed them to flee.

'Many questions arise out of there. Why did you forewarn Pakistan? Were you so trustful of Pakistan that you were sure Pakistan would sit idle and not do anything about it? Why must I not believe that Pakistan warned the dreaded terrorists, which is why Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar fled and were saved? Why must I not believe that you put the Indian Armed Forces in the line of danger? In their press briefings, the armed forces have also said that some losses have been borne by our armed forces as well. Does the country not deserve to know about it?... The Foreign Minister categorically said that we informed Pakistan that we are attacking your terrorist sites and that their Army should sit out... Attacking the LoP for asking questions that the entire country is asking is not going to help', Supriya Shrinate told ANI.

DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan said that Rahul Gandhi is just asking about facts and stated that the BJP must come out with a statement on the issue.

'When they are involved in something, they don't talk, they don't even allow a debate in the Parliament... The government does not want the people to know anything because there is something hidden in it. Rahul Gandhi is right... He is just asking for facts. Let BJP come out with a statement, but we all know they won't', he said.

On Monday, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi again questioned External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, accusing him of being silent on how many aircraft the Indian Air Force lost during Operation Sindoor and said that the nation 'deserves the truth.'

'EAM Jaishankar's silence isn't just telling -- it's damning. So I'll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew? This wasn't a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth,' Rahul Gandhi posted on X. (ANI)