The foreign ministry of Pakistan has claimed that it’s stand on Pulwama attack as a “false flag operation” has been vindicated. Its claims were based on private WhatsApp chats of Arnab Goswami which were leaked by the Mumbai Police.
It said: The latest revelations further confirm what Pakistan has consistently pointed out. The BJP government stages “false flag” operations, maligns Pakistan with terrorism related allegations. It added: The transcripts also illustrate the unholy nexus between the ‘Hindutva regime’ and its cronies in the national media.
Responding to Pakistani claims, Republic TV said: The desperation with which the Government of Pakistan has attacked the Republic Media Network in an open forum today, also lays bare the involvement of anti-India forces in the conspiracy behind the Republic Media Network.
The Republic urged the Congress to “stop working in tandem with the Government of Pakistan, consciously or unconsciously, to spread lies against India’s interests”. Incidentally, former Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan (of the Congress) had admitted that the chats were leaked by the Mumbai Police. Goswami’s chats were with the former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO Partho Dasgupta.
In one of the conversations with Dasgupta, Goswami hinted at “something big” happening just three days before India’s failed attack on Balakot in 2019.
“At 10pm on February 23, three days before the Balakot strike, the conversation begins with [Mr] Goswami boasting about Republic TV bagging then Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s first-ever interview after the Pulwama incident,” read a news report published in The Hindu.
During the chat, Goswami texted Dasgupta: “On another note, something big will happen”. To which the BRC CEO asked, “Dawood?”
“No sir Pakistan. Something major will be done this time,” Goswami responded.
Most of Arnab’s chats were consistent with the message that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had delivered in public in the previous days.
Modi had said on February 15, a day after the Pulwama incident, that the terrorists had committed a “grave mistake” and would pay a heavy price for it. He had also said that “our neighbouring country forgets that this (India) is a country with new intent and new policy”.
On February 23, three days before Balakot strikes, Modi had said: Your pradhan sevak is busy finishing terror … If I am destined to put locks to the factory of terror, so be it.”
