New Delhi: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, today addressed the Lok Sabha on “Operation Sindoor,” detailing the Union Government’s decisive actions against terrorism and strongly criticizing the Congress party’s historical approach to national security. He announced the successful conclusion of “Operation Mahadev,” which eliminated the terrorists responsible for the recent Pahalgam attack.
Shri Shah revealed that “Operation Mahadev,” a joint effort by the Army, CRPF, and J&K Police, resulted in the killing of all three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack: Suleman alias Faizal Jatt, Hamza Afghani, and Jibran. Suleman was identified as a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander involved in the Pahalgam attack, and the other two were “A-grade terrorists” who had killed Indian civilians in the Baisaran Valley. The Home Minister stated that ballistic reports and evidence, including Pakistani voter ID cards found on two terrorists and Pakistan-manufactured chocolates, confirmed their involvement and origin.
The Home Minister expressed dismay at the opposition’s lack of joy over the terrorists’ neutralization, stating their faces “turned grim”. He particularly targeted former Home Minister P. Chidambaram for demanding proof that terrorists came from Pakistan, calling it an attempt to “give a clean chit to Pakistan” and a “conspiracy by the Congress to shield Pakistan”.
Shri Shah elaborated on “Operation Sindoor,” stating it was launched on the night of May 7, from 1:04 AM to 1:24 AM, and resulted in the destruction of nine terrorist bases 100 kilometers inside Pakistan, including locations like Markaz, Subhanallah, Bahawalpur, Markaz-e-Taiba, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Barnala camp. He emphasized that unlike previous strikes, not a single civilian was killed in these operations.
The Home Minister asserted that “Operation Sindoor” exposed Pakistan’s state-sponsored terrorism to the world, as Pakistani army officers attended the funerals of the killed terrorists. In retaliation for Pakistan’s attack on Indian military bases, India launched a retaliatory strike targeting 11 Pakistani airbases, effectively crippling Pakistan’s ability to launch further attacks.
A significant portion of Shri Shah’s speech was dedicated to criticizing the Congress party’s historical handling of national security and foreign policy. He attributed the existence of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) solely to India’s first Prime Minister, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, and stated that Nehru’s “mistake” was responsible for PoK’s very existence. He also blamed Pt.Nehru for China’s permanent membership in the UNSC while India remains outside.
Shri Shah accused the Congress of weakening India’s fight against terrorism by repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in 2004, leading to a series of major terrorist attacks throughout the UPA tenure. He cited numerous incidents, including the 2005 attack on Ram Lalla’s tent in Ayodhya, the 2006 Mumbai train bomb blasts, and the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where thousands were killed during the UPA government. He challenged Rahul Gandhi to explain UPA Government’s response to these attacks.
In contrast, Shri Shah highlighted the Modi Government’s “zero-tolerance policy” towards terrorism. He stated that under the Modi Government, barring Kashmir-centric incidents, there has been no major terrorist attack in the rest of the country. He presented statistics showing a 70% decline in terrorist incidents and a significant reduction in casualties under the Modi Government compared to the Sonia-Manmohan regime.
The Home Minister also emphasized the changes in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, stating that the terrorist ecosystem has been dismantled. He noted that stone-pelting incidents have come down to zero, and the Valley has not experienced a single shutdown in the last three years, unlike the 132 days a year under Congress rule. He added that Hurriyat leaders, who once received VIP treatment, are now behind bars, and the Modi Government has banned dozens of organizations nurturing terrorism in Kashmir.
Shri Shah concluded by asserting that anyone attempting to infiltrate Indian borders will be eliminated and reiterated the government’s determination to wipe out terrorism. He praised the Indian Army and security forces for their valor.