July 29th 2025.
New Delhi: During a fiery speech in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is also the Leader of the Opposition, did not hold back in criticizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of Operation Sindoor. He accused the PM of restricting the Armed Forces' operational freedom and maneuverability during the operation.
As the Parliament discussed the details of Operation Sindoor, Gandhi emphasized the importance of political will and complete freedom of action for the Army. He drew a parallel between the 1971 war and the recent operation, highlighting how former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had given Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw six months to prepare for the Bangladesh Liberation War. This, according to Gandhi, showed true political backing and resulted in the surrender of one lakh Pakistani soldiers.
Gandhi went on to criticize Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's statement that Operation Sindoor lasted only 22 minutes and that India had informed Pakistan immediately after the strike that only non-military targets were hit. He alleged that this showed a lack of political will to strike military targets and ultimately led to a surrender in just 30 minutes.
The Congress leader also brought up the comments made by India's Defence Attaché to Indonesia, Captain Shiv Kumar, who hinted at political constraints during the operation. Gandhi added that the Air Force was not at fault, but it was the political leadership whose hands were tied.
He further claimed that the motive behind Operation Sindoor was to protect PM Modi's global image, stating that the Air Force was used to wash off the blood on his hands after the Pahalgam attack. Gandhi also pointed out that no country, not even neighbors, had condemned Pakistan after the attack, which showed the world's perception of India and Pakistan as equal when it came to terrorism.
The Congress leader also expressed concern over the growing military cooperation between China and Pakistan, including shared intelligence and joint command presence in PLA theatres. He warned that this was the biggest foreign policy challenge for India and that the government had allowed these two countries to form a unified front.
Gandhi also mentioned US President Donald Trump's claims of bringing about a ceasefire in Operation Sindoor and challenged PM Modi to publicly refute these claims. He urged the PM to show even 50% of the courage shown by Indira Gandhi and stand in Parliament to declare that Trump had lied about his involvement in the operation.
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