(HT)
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday told an all-party meeting that at least 100 terrorists were killed when India struck terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under the still ongoing Operation Sindoor, sources said.
The defence minister also informed the leaders, who fully endorsed the government’s military action and complimented the armed forces, that India will hit back if Pakistan attacks, they said.
Political leaders from parties, including the Congress, AIMIM, Trinamool Congress and the DMK, extended full cooperation to the government on the issue of national security.
“In the moment of crisis, we are with the government,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said after the meeting.” The defence minister said this is a sensitive time and in the interest of the country, detailed questions are not to be asked,” he said.
“Operation Sindoor claimed the lives of at least 100 terrorists. It is difficult to give an exact estimate as the operation is still ongoing and we are still collating the details. India will give a befitting reply if Pakistan attacks,” a source at the meeting quoted Singh as saying in a suo motu statement. Addressing reporters after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said leaders showed maturity and did not indulge in bickering at the meeting, presided over by Singh and convened to evolve a broad political consensus on the issue.
“The discussions were conducted in a constructive and serious manner given the gravity of the issue at hand. The defence minister briefed all leaders in detail about Operation Sindoor. Each leader expressed their views with responsibility and maturity, recognising the major challenge the country is currently facing,” Rijiju said.
“Across party lines, political leaders said there is no place for politics in such critical times. All leaders unanimously congratulated our armed forces on the success of Operation Sindoor and assured their full support to the government, with no dissent whatsoever,” he added. Several valuable suggestions were also put forward during the meeting, held a day after Operation Sindoor, Rijiju said.
The leaders shared their concerns on the issue of national security and the safety of all Indians, especially in border areas, but extended all support. The message is that the entire nation is united with the government and the armed forces.
“We don’t do politics just for forming governments but also to build the nation,” Rijiju quoted Singh as saying.
“The raksha mantri told the meeting that it was an ongoing operation and that is why he cannot share the technical details of Operation Sindoor that was launched by Indian armed forces,” Rijiju said.
And that is why no no armed forces officials were present at the all-party meeting. They were busy with operations.” Political leaders also congratulated the armed forces for the action taken under Operation Sindoor,” he said.
“We gave full support and what Kharge ji said is right – there are certain things that shouldn’t be discussed. Everyone simply gave their support,” leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told reporters. Kharge added that the defence minister did not want to share the details of the operation as it was ongoing. The government informed the gathering that they had struck only terrorists camps and places harbouring terrorists and would take all steps to ensure the safety of people, especially in border areas.
The Congress chief said Gandhi, who spoke last, also urged the government to convene a special session of Parliament on the issue to send out a clear message to the world.
“All parties of the INDIA bloc and other parties as well in one voice said ‘you move ahead and we are with you in the decisions you take and are standing with the army’,” Kharge said.
He also expressed disappointment that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not attend the all-party meeting.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said he complimented the armed forces and the government for conducting Operation Sindoor.
”I also said that we should run an international campaign against TRF and the UN Security Council should designate it as terror organisation. We also need to ask the United States to designate TRF as foreign terrorist organisation in the country,” he said.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy, has emerged mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam attack in which 26 people were killed and also claimed responsibility for it.” BJD wholeheartedly commends the extraordinary courage, clinical precision and gallant professionalism of our armed forces in carrying out Operation Sindoor. We salute every officer, soldier, unit involved in this mission,” said party leader Sasmit Patra.
