Condolences over the demise of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat poured in from several countries, including the US, Russia, China and Pakistan but Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu failed to share a single tweet on the untimely death of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, his wife and 11 military personnel.
However, Sidhu wished interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi on her birthday saying, “wishing you a day that is as special as you are.”
Sonia Gandhi has decided not to celebrate her birthday with AICC general secretary KC Venugopal urging party workers on Wednesday to avoid any celebrations.
Condemning this BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma slammed the cricketer-turned-politician saying “yes that’s Congress for you”.
Not a word on Gen #BipinRawat’s untimely demise. Not a word for the 11 brothers & CDS’s deceased wife. Not even a whimper of a prayer for the lone surviving brother currently battling for his life. All love, All celebrations. All Bajwa, All @INCIndia,” she tweeted.
General Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 other people on board an Indian Air Force helicopter died in a crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, defence officials have retrieved the Flight Data Recorder, more popularly known as ‘Black Box’, of the ill-fated Indian Air Force helicopter that crashed over the Nilgiris.
Official sources said the black box was retrieved in the wake of authorities expanding the search area from 300 metres to one km from the accident spot.
Two boxes including the flight data recorder were recovered from the site, official sources said, adding, they are likely to be taken to Delhi or Bengaluru to ascertain the cause of the crash.
Rawat was on his way to the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the staff course when the fatal mishap happened in the Katteri-Nanchappanchathram area.
Meanwhile, a video showing a helicopter disappearing from the air near a hilly area is doing the rounds on social media. However, there was no confirmation from the IAF about the viral video, which was said to be taken by a tourist.
