JODHPUR: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said Indian forces gave a “befitting reply” to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, stressing that terrorists were targeted “not because of their religion, but because of their deeds.”
Addressing an event, Singh praised residents of border areas for supporting the armed forces and administration during the military operation, which was launched to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack.
He recalled that soon after the incident, he had called a meeting with the service chiefs. “I asked them if they were prepared for the operation. All three chiefs unanimously replied, ‘We are ready for any operation.’ This is India. The prime minister then issued the necessary directives,” Singh said.
“The decided targets were hit precisely, exactly as planned. During Operation Sindoor, our forces received full support from border regions. India is a country that treats the world as its family, spreading the message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” he added.
Singh underlined that while terrorists chose their victims based on religion, Indian soldiers never acted that way. “Our soldiers did not kill terrorists on the basis of faith but because of their actions,” he said.
Launched in May, Operation Sindoor involved precision strikes on multiple locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir linked to terror groups. The operation aimed to destroy terror infrastructure and neutralise key operatives following the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
Switching focus to education reforms, Singh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ushering in a “significant transformation” in the sector, which he said would help India reach new heights.
“There is a vast difference between the education of our time and today’s. I studied in a village school, where looking at the globe on the principal’s desk felt like gazing at a magical ball. Today, children have the internet at their fingertips. This is a remarkable change,” Singh said.
He thanked Modi for his strong resolve to bring long-awaited reforms. “Several commissions were formed in the past, but the necessary changes never came. Today’s children can learn about the entire world through an app. In our time, science meant only the blackboard,” he said.
Calling this shift India’s real strength, Singh said: “This change is the future of India. It will take the nation to greater heights.”
Reflecting on India’s heritage, he highlighted that while much of the world lived in caves, Indian sages were writing the Natya Shastra. “When others did not understand the causes of diseases, India had doctors like Sushruta. Knowledge of turmeric, neem, and ashwagandha existed here centuries ago, which modern scientists now acknowledge,” he said.
Emphasising holistic education, Singh said children must grow not just physically but spiritually as well. “Spiritual development can only come through educational institutions. Give children education that broadens their minds,” he urged.
Quoting former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Singh said: “No one becomes great with a small mind. No one stands tall with a broken heart.”
He added: “Our sages believed the entire world was one family. Imagine the mind as a circle—the more you expand its circumference, the more happiness you experience. Ultimately, you attain supreme bliss.”
During the event, Singh also inaugurated a sports academy in Jodhpur. Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other leaders were present.
