Congress Leader Says There Was 'Something Amiss' About Op Sindoor, BJP Hits Back

Stirring up a controversy, a senior Congress leader has implied there was something amiss about Operation Sindoor, which was India's response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. 

The remarks by Ajay Rai, who is the head of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress, came after Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said on Friday that US- and Chinese-made jets had been shot down by India during the four-day operation in May. 

Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi also issued a warning to Pakistan the same day and said while Indian forces had shown restraint during Operation Sindoor, they would not do so the next time if Islamabad continues to support cross-border terror.

Rai - who has contested and lost thrice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency -  however, said top military officials were giving different statements on the operation, which pointed to some 'gadbad' (something being amiss).

"This repeated clarification, these repeated statements before the people of the country, proves that something is wrong ('gadbad hai'). The Chief of Defence Staff gives a different statement, sometimes the Army chief gives a different statement. This proves there is something wrong.... It shows that something serious is going on and the Prime Minister should make everything clear to the people of the country," he said.

Answering a different question, Rai also said the Congress considers every soldier of the country supreme. 

"Everyone respects the soldier of the country. Everyone respects him because he serves the country by risking his life. He serves Mother India," he said.

Reacting to Rai's remarks, the BJP said the leader is taking his orders from Colombia, where Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is on a visit. 

"All the military heads are on the same page (on Operation Sindoor). What information do they (the Congress) want? They are trying to lower the morale of the armed forces based on instructions from Colombia. Operation Sindoor was one of the most successful operations anywhere in the world and the damage is so heavy that Pakistan does not know where to run," said BJP Spokesperson Tom Vadakkan.

"If this gentleman is abusing the defence forces, it's just not acceptable. After trying to cast doubts on the Election Commission, the Congress is trying to build another narrative," he alleged.

The Operation, And Proof

After the Pahalgam attack in April, India struck terror bases in at least nine locations in Pakistan - including the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke and Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur - in the early hours of May 7 as part of Operation Sindoor

Pakistan responded by attempting to attack Indian military installations and civilian locations by launching drones and missiles on three successive days, but was thwarted by India's air defence systems. India, in turn, first took out some of Pakistan's air defence systems, including in Lahore, and then struck key military bases like the all-important Nur Khan airbase, also known as the Chaklala airbase.

Pakistan then sought a ceasefire and India agreed to a pause in hostilities.

In press conferences during and after the operation, the armed forces shared proof of the attacks on the terror infrastructure as well as the military bases. Satellite photos from independent sources have also corroborated the damage to Pakistani air bases like Sargodha, Nur Khan (Chaklala), Bholari, Jacobabad, Sukkur and Rahim Yar Khan.