The Opposition in Maharashtra on Wednesday praised the success of ‘Operation Sindoor’ undertaken by the Indian armed forces against terror hide outs in Pakistan.
Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, who spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, said in Pune on Wednesday that, “No country could remain a mute spectator in the aftermath of a terror attack, and now a message has gone out in the world that India is aggressive”.
Pawar tweeted on X that he spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the operation and assured full support to the government in the testing times.
“Spoke with Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Raksha Mantri (defence minister). Congratulated the efforts of the Indian armed forces and commended them for the action taken. We reiterate our support to the government during this challenging time. Congratulations to Indian soldiers for safeguarding the sovereignty of the country and securing its citizens by giving a befitting reply to the Pahalgam attack. The country is proud of our armed forces,” Pawar tweeted.
“Whatever happened in Jammu & Kashmir last month, there was anxiety among the people of the country. Innocent people were killed by the terrorists. In such a situation, no country can be a mere spectator. While responding to these terrorist attacks, it was necessary to take steps cautiously. All these strikes have taken place on the terrorist camps in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) which are supported by Pakistan. ,” Pawar said, adding that these camps stored ammunition as well as weapons.
Pawar also defended recent actions taken by India like suspending the Indus Water Treaty to mount economic pressure on Pakistan. “The actions taken by the Prime Minister and the armed forces are justified and appropriate.” He said that ‘Operation Sindoor’ was an appropriate name, since many women lost their husbands in the Pahalgam terror attack.
“India could not ignore the loss of so many lives. A strong message was necessary to let terrorist outfits know that such acts will not go unanswered. India will strike in a way that neutralises terrorists without harming civilians,” Pawar said.
Pawar stated that while some people harboured suspicion about Kashmiri people after the Pahalgam attack, the Kashmiris themselves stood up in support of the country and strongly condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
Pawar said that it is now the responsibility of the central leadership and all political parties to stand firmly with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
“The sites targeted by the IAF were terrorist training camps equipped with full infrastructure. The Air Force selected these targets carefully to ensure civilians were not affected,” Pawar said.
When asked about the international response, Pawar pointed out that countries like the US, Japan and other key global powers have extended their support to India. “The only concern is China, which has taken a different stance, but India has every right to protect its sovereignty,” Pawar said.
When asked about Pakistan’s warning of a counter-strike against India, Pawar said, “It is not appropriate to comment on such matters, but India must remain vigilant. Pakistan knows the limits of its power, and it knows India’s power as well”.
However, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) founder president Raj Thackeray said, “Nothing is achieved by giving names like Operation Sindoor. What steps are you taking exactly? The programmes which Modi has undertaken for so long were not needed. The central government has not yet succeeded in finding the terrorists in the Pahalgam terrorist attack. It was necessary to teach a lesson that the next generations of terrorists would remember. In such a situation, waging war with Pakistan or conducting mock drills and airstrikes are of no use. Pakistan is already a ruined country. What is left to be ruined further? When terrorists had demolished the Twin Towers in America and attacked the Pentagon, the Americans found and killed those terrorists. Therefore, war is not the answer to a terrorist attack. Instead of conducting mock drills in the country, conduct a combing operation to trace the terrorists,” Raj Thackeray said.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said that “The Shiv Sena salutes the bravery of the Indian armed forces. The attacks on Pakistani terrorist sites by the Indian armed forces is a matter of pride”.
“The Indian armed forces have taken revenge by eliminating terrorists who killed 26 of our sisters and brothers in Pahalgam. It is necessary to completely eradicate terrorism by destroying Pakistan’s ‘sleeper cells’ in India. Operation Sindoor has shown that the Indian armed forces are capable of dealing with all kinds of situations,” Uddhav Thackeray said.