'Brilliant name, sends a telling message': Shashi Tharoor applauds symbolism behind mission 'Operation Sindoor'
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NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday praised the codename ' Operation Sindoor ' for India's retaliatory strike on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, calling it 'brilliant' for its emotional and symbolic resonance."Clever, especially given the government's penchant for creative acronyms! But jokes apart, #OperationSindoor is a brilliant name," Tharoor said in a post on X."It evokes the image, seared into our national consciousness, of the newly-widowed bride, kneeling and weeping by the side of her assassinated husband of six days in Pahalgam – the entire reason why Operation #Sindoor was necessary. The fact that Sindoor is blood red also sends a telling message. Shabash to whoever thought of it!' the Congress leader said.Tharoor's post referred to the emotional aftermath of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people, including newlywed Indian army personnel, were killed, sparking national outrage. The image of the soldier's young widow mourning beside his body became a powerful symbol of the tragedy.He was replying to a post which claimed that 'Sindoor' was actually an acronym.Earlier in the day, top Congress leadership on Wednesday lauded the Indian armed forces for their bold and decisive step against terror camps in Pakistan and PoK and reiterated the party's support to the forces and the government's action on the issue of national security."We had called a meeting of the Working Committee to discuss the incident and the government's action. We are proud of the Indian Armed Forces, who have given a befitting reply by taking bold and decisive action against the terror camps of Pakistan and PoK under 'Operation Sindoor'. We salute the courage, determination and patriotism of our brave soldiers," Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said.He said from the day of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Congress has clearly stood in solidarity with the armed forces and the government and supported every decisive action against cross-border terrorism.Rahul Gandhi, who was also present at the meeting, said Congress party extends all its support to the armed forces."We held a discussion in the working committee. Our full support to our forces, best wishes to them, much love to them. Complete support from the Congress party and the Congress Working Committee," he said.In a 25-minute precision operation in early hours of Wednesday, Indian armed forces destroyed nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and PoK, including facilities linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The strike was described by Indian officials as "measured" and "non-escalatory," and came in direct retaliation to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said the decision to carry out the "proportionate" strikes was driven by Pakistan's failure to take any visible action against terrorist infrastructure operating from territories under its control.Under Operation Sindoor, Indian forces targeted key terrorist hubs, including the Markaz Taiba of LeT in Muridke, Markaz Subhan Allah of JeM in Bahawalpur, the Mehmoona Joya Facility of Hizbul Mujahideen in Sialkot, and LeT bases in Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala and Shawai Nalla in Muzaffarabad, according to military officials.The strikes were executed between 1.05 am and 1.30 am, with all targets successfully neutralised. Detailing the operation at a media briefing, Colonel Sophia Qureshi of the Army's Corps of Signals and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a helicopter pilot with the Indian Air Force, confirmed the successful execution alongside Foreign Secretary Misri.About 15 minutes after the operation concluded, the Ministry of Defence issued a statement: 'A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched 'Operation Sindoor', targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where attacks against India have been planned and directed.'The ministry stressed that the strikes were 'focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature' and confirmed that 'no Pakistani military facilities were targeted.' It added that India had exercised 'considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution.'Military sources noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was closely monitoring Operation Sindoor. Following the operation, he convened a meeting of the Union Cabinet and lauded the Indian armed forces for the successful and precise strikes.
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