A large number of opposition parties in India on Wednesday slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for using the country’s armed forces for ‘political benefits’.

At least 21 senior leaders of rival parties blasted Prime Minister Narendar Modi for blatant policisation of the forces and expressed concerns over the air force pilot who was captured by Pakistan Army during an ‘aerial engagement’ earlier today.

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft were shot down by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Indian targets across the Line of Control (LoC) were struck by Pakistani jets from within friendly airspace as the country’s armed forces struck back after unprovoked Indian aggression a day earlier.
The opposition parties during a meeting also pointed out that the Modi-led BJP government has failed to take them into confidence, reported
In a statement issued at the end of the huddle, the opposition said, “The prime minister has, regrettably, not convened an all-party meeting as per the established practice in our democracy.”

The leaders, according to the statement, urged the government to “take the nation into confidence on all measures to protect India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity”.

Days earlier, Hindu extremist party Shiv Sena had also warned right-wing BJP against using the February 14 Pulwama attack to influence the upcoming polls.