New Delhi:A group of armed forces veterans on Thursday described Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's attack on the central government over its handling of the Ladakh border row as "undesirable and deplorable".
The veterans said in a statement that Gandhi's earlier statements on Pakistan were "used and supported" by the Pakistan government and military, "encouraging the anti-national forces."
The former officers include Air Vice Marshal (retd) Sanjib Bordoloi, Air Commodore (retd) P C Grover and Brig (retd) Dinkar Adeeb.
"Such twisting of issues of military importance for petty political gains are highly deplorable. Undoubtedly, such statements always undermine the morale and indomitable spirit of our armed forces, who are known to be the best professional forces in the world and have been in active action throughout since Independence," they said.
They also referred to the 1962 war with China, noting that India was then led by Jawaharlal Nehru. "We were not only caught totally unprepared but had to suffer a very humiliating defeat at the hands of China despite the fact that our soldiers fought valiantly and caused huge casualties to China," they said.