NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi addressed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, marking a high-stakes continuation of the Operation Sindoor debate which began on the previous day.
Union home minister Amit Shah , opening the session, confirmed that the three terrorists killed in Operation Mahadev carried out the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Operation Sindoor (May 7) was India's military retaliation to the Pahalgam attack by Pakistani terrorists.
PM Modi hails citizens, armed forces
PM Modi noted in his speech that the Indian armed forces took only 22 minutes to avenge April 22 (Pahalgam attack).
"I am indebted to the people of the country for showing trust in me during Operation Sindoor," the prime minister said, adding that the country, through its unity, thwarted a "well-planned conspiracy" to create communal disturbances across the nation.
He added that Pakistan expected an Indian retaliation; yet, it failed to stop India's precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure.
The PM maintained that no world leader asked India to stop the conflict, and recalled his conversation with US Vice-President JD Vance on May 9.
"The US vice-president tried to reach me, he tried for hours but since I was meeting the army I couldn't talk to him. I called him back then he told Pakistan is going to attack. I replied if that is what Pakistan wants then they will pay heavy price."
PM Modi also tore into the Congress, accusing it of believing Pakistan more than its own government and army.
Operation Sindoor created "Sindoor spirit" throughout the nation, he remarked.
'Govt tied IAF's hands; Operation Sindoor conducted to protect PM's image": Rahul Gandhi
The leader of opposition accused the government of "tying" the hands of Indian pilots, and alleged that Operation Sindoor was conducted only to "protect" the prime minister's image.
He added that the Indian Air Force (IAF) "made no mistake"; it was the government's "fault" not to allow the air force to hit Pakistan's military infrastructure on the first night.
Gandhi also dared PM Modi to call Donald Trump "a liar" over the US president's repeated claims of using trade as leverage to materialise an India-Pakistan, ceasefire and that fighter jets were shot down during the India-Pakistan conflict.
"If Narendra Modi has even 50 per cent of the courage of Indira Gandhi, he should declare in the House that Trump is lying about the ceasefire," the Raebareli MP stated.
He also brought up Trump's lunch with Pakistan's army chief, General Asim Munir, who gave a provocative speech just days before the attack in Pahalgam.
"The man behind the Pahalgam terror attack is Pakistan General Asim Munir. Recently, he had a lunch meeting with US President Donald Trump. PM Modi hasn't said anything. He didn't say, 'How dare Mr. Trump invite him to his office."
Amit Shah questions Congress's inaction over UPA-era terror attacks;
Shah began with a detailed breakdown of Operation Mahadev and Operation Sindoor, and then turned his attention towards the Congress for terrorist attacks during the party-led UPA era.
"Between 2005 and 2011, there were 27 terrorists attacks. What did the Congress government do; they just sent dossiers to Pakistan," he said, adding that those who "nurture their vote bank by saving terrorists" will not like Prime Minister Narendra Modi's zero tolerance to terror policy.
Further, the Union home minister described Pakistan as the "Congress' mistake."
"Pakistan is Congress' mistake. If they had not accepted partition, there would have been no Pakistan today. PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) exists only because of Jawaharlal Nehru. In 1960, they gave 80 per cent of the Indus waters to Pakistan....In 1971, during the Simla Agreement, they (Congress) forgot about PoK. If they had taken PoK then, we would not have to carry out attacks on camps there now."
Priyanka Gandhi hits back; seeks accountability
Hitting back at Shah, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the Pahalgam attack a "big failure" of the government and intelligence agencies.
"Who will take the responsibility? Has anyone resigned? Did no government agency know that such a dastardly terror attack is going to happen?" she asked.
The Lok Sabha member from Kerala's Wayanad also took on PM Modi over US President Donald Trump announcing the India-Pakistan ceasefire.
"For the first time in the history of our country, war is halted and it is not announced by our government or Army but the US president. This reflects the irresponsibility of our prime minister," she stated.
Further, she accused the government of "running away from questions" and asked the government to come clear on India losing fighter aircraft during the conflict.
Akhilesh Yadav takes 'nimbu-mirchi' jibe at govt over alleged loss of IAF's Rafale jets
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav joined other opposition leaders in raising the alleged loss of IAF jets, including the French-made Rafale fighters, on the night of Operation Sindoor.
"Our finest aircraft, jinki nimbo mirchi laga kar pooja ki gayi thi (the ones that were worshipped with lemons and chillies) -- How many of them actually took off?" Yadav asked, referring to defence minister Rajnath Singh performing 'puja' of a Rafale jet by placing lemons under its wheels and coconut on the top in 2019.
He also brought up China's support to its "all-weather ally" during the near-war, and asserted that the government "cannot sweep it under the rug" that this war against China as well.
Further, Yadav questioned the timing of the killing of three Pahalgam terrorists in Operation Mahadev on Monday, and invoked the Pulwama attack, asking the government: “Why has the vehicle that carried explosives before the 2019 attack not been seized yet?”
Union home minister Amit Shah , opening the session, confirmed that the three terrorists killed in Operation Mahadev carried out the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Operation Sindoor (May 7) was India's military retaliation to the Pahalgam attack by Pakistani terrorists.
PM Modi hails citizens, armed forces
PM Modi noted in his speech that the Indian armed forces took only 22 minutes to avenge April 22 (Pahalgam attack).
"I am indebted to the people of the country for showing trust in me during Operation Sindoor," the prime minister said, adding that the country, through its unity, thwarted a "well-planned conspiracy" to create communal disturbances across the nation.
He added that Pakistan expected an Indian retaliation; yet, it failed to stop India's precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure.
The PM maintained that no world leader asked India to stop the conflict, and recalled his conversation with US Vice-President JD Vance on May 9.
"The US vice-president tried to reach me, he tried for hours but since I was meeting the army I couldn't talk to him. I called him back then he told Pakistan is going to attack. I replied if that is what Pakistan wants then they will pay heavy price."
PM Modi also tore into the Congress, accusing it of believing Pakistan more than its own government and army.
Operation Sindoor created "Sindoor spirit" throughout the nation, he remarked.
'Govt tied IAF's hands; Operation Sindoor conducted to protect PM's image": Rahul Gandhi
The leader of opposition accused the government of "tying" the hands of Indian pilots, and alleged that Operation Sindoor was conducted only to "protect" the prime minister's image.
He added that the Indian Air Force (IAF) "made no mistake"; it was the government's "fault" not to allow the air force to hit Pakistan's military infrastructure on the first night.
Gandhi also dared PM Modi to call Donald Trump "a liar" over the US president's repeated claims of using trade as leverage to materialise an India-Pakistan, ceasefire and that fighter jets were shot down during the India-Pakistan conflict.
"If Narendra Modi has even 50 per cent of the courage of Indira Gandhi, he should declare in the House that Trump is lying about the ceasefire," the Raebareli MP stated.
He also brought up Trump's lunch with Pakistan's army chief, General Asim Munir, who gave a provocative speech just days before the attack in Pahalgam.
"The man behind the Pahalgam terror attack is Pakistan General Asim Munir. Recently, he had a lunch meeting with US President Donald Trump. PM Modi hasn't said anything. He didn't say, 'How dare Mr. Trump invite him to his office."
Amit Shah questions Congress's inaction over UPA-era terror attacks;
Shah began with a detailed breakdown of Operation Mahadev and Operation Sindoor, and then turned his attention towards the Congress for terrorist attacks during the party-led UPA era.
"Between 2005 and 2011, there were 27 terrorists attacks. What did the Congress government do; they just sent dossiers to Pakistan," he said, adding that those who "nurture their vote bank by saving terrorists" will not like Prime Minister Narendra Modi's zero tolerance to terror policy.
Further, the Union home minister described Pakistan as the "Congress' mistake."
"Pakistan is Congress' mistake. If they had not accepted partition, there would have been no Pakistan today. PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) exists only because of Jawaharlal Nehru. In 1960, they gave 80 per cent of the Indus waters to Pakistan....In 1971, during the Simla Agreement, they (Congress) forgot about PoK. If they had taken PoK then, we would not have to carry out attacks on camps there now."
Priyanka Gandhi hits back; seeks accountability
Hitting back at Shah, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called the Pahalgam attack a "big failure" of the government and intelligence agencies.
"Who will take the responsibility? Has anyone resigned? Did no government agency know that such a dastardly terror attack is going to happen?" she asked.
The Lok Sabha member from Kerala's Wayanad also took on PM Modi over US President Donald Trump announcing the India-Pakistan ceasefire.
"For the first time in the history of our country, war is halted and it is not announced by our government or Army but the US president. This reflects the irresponsibility of our prime minister," she stated.
Further, she accused the government of "running away from questions" and asked the government to come clear on India losing fighter aircraft during the conflict.
Akhilesh Yadav takes 'nimbu-mirchi' jibe at govt over alleged loss of IAF's Rafale jets
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav joined other opposition leaders in raising the alleged loss of IAF jets, including the French-made Rafale fighters, on the night of Operation Sindoor.
"Our finest aircraft, jinki nimbo mirchi laga kar pooja ki gayi thi (the ones that were worshipped with lemons and chillies) -- How many of them actually took off?" Yadav asked, referring to defence minister Rajnath Singh performing 'puja' of a Rafale jet by placing lemons under its wheels and coconut on the top in 2019.
He also brought up China's support to its "all-weather ally" during the near-war, and asserted that the government "cannot sweep it under the rug" that this war against China as well.
Further, Yadav questioned the timing of the killing of three Pahalgam terrorists in Operation Mahadev on Monday, and invoked the Pulwama attack, asking the government: “Why has the vehicle that carried explosives before the 2019 attack not been seized yet?”
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