Darbhanga: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said India had given a fitting reply to Pakistan for the killing of innocent civilians in Pahalgam, asserting that a “sizeable number of militants” were eliminated during Operation Sindoor.
Addressing an election rally in Bihar’s Darbhanga, Singh said the operation was launched after the nation’s anger over the brutal attack. “Our neighbouring country, Pakistan, has not mended its ways. Even after our surgical strikes, they failed to learn their lesson. Terrorists from Pakistan targeted innocent tourists in Kashmir, killing them after asking about their religion,” he said.
“They were even forced to remove their undergarments to confirm their religion. What a mockery of humanity! We were seething in anger, but India showed restraint,” he added.
Singh stressed that India’s politics is rooted in justice and humanity, not in division. “We do not do politics on the basis of caste or religion. Our response to the Pahalgam attack was both decisive and moral,” he said.
Explaining the objective of Operation Sindoor, Singh said it was aimed at destroying terrorist camps across the border. “They killed our people after asking their religion, but we targeted only those responsible for terror,” he stated.
Highlighting India’s philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world as one family — Singh said, “Our sages never taught hatred; they taught compassion. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi transferred money to women’s bank accounts or provided aid to farmers, did he ask their religion? Every Indian benefited. That is the spirit of this nation.”
He added that India’s true strength lies not only in its ability to strike back but also in its commitment to humanity and justice. “Under PM Modi’s leadership, India’s pride and global standing have been restored. Today, India’s head is held high before the world,” Singh said.
In May, Indian armed forces targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during Operation Sindoor, in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack, where terrorists had killed 26 people at Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
