
"They tried to protect Pakistan in more severe incidents," Prahlad Joshi accuses Congress
Hubballi Dharwad (Karnataka) [India] June 2 (ANI): Responding to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's statement on PM Modi, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday slammed Congress, asserting that the BJP-led government has taken decisive action against those 'promoting terrorism' in India.
He further accused the Congress of shielding Pakistan during their tenure.
'We have done what we had to do. We have taken action against people who were trying to promote terrorism in India. We have taught them a lesson. The entire world knows what you did during your term. You used to weep before the UN and the US. Now India has hit back, and the world is appreciating our action. The world leaders are supporting us. We dare to talk against Pakistan, but you people tried to protect Pakistan in incidents more severe than this one,' he said.
'You tried to give a new term called 'saffron terrorism' and point fingers at us. You gave a clean chit to Pakistan. Let them understand their track record and then talk. The entire military was ready when the 26/11 attack happened in Mumbai, but these people did not dare to take action,' he added.
On Saturday, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a special session of Parliament concerning Operation Sindoor, alleging that government had 'misled the nation' and instead of clarifying US President Donald Trump's assertions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi 'is on an election blitz, taking personal credit for the valour of the armed forces.'
In a post on X, Kharge referred to remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff during an interview and demanded an independent expert committee's comprehensive review of the country's defence preparedness.
'In the wake of the remarks made by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in Singapore in an interview, there are some very important questions that need to be asked. These can only be asked if a Special Session of the Parliament is immediately convened. The Modi government has misled the nation. The fog of war is now clearing,' Kharge said.
'Our IAF pilots were risking their lives fighting the enemy. We have suffered some losses, but our pilots were safe. As per CDS's interview, 'we made, remedy it, rectify it, and then implement it again after two days and flew all our jets again, targeting at long range'. We salute their resolute courage and bravery. However, a comprehensive strategic review is the need of the hour. Congress party demands a Comprehensive Review of our defence preparedness by an independent expert committee, on the lines of the Kargil Review Committee,' he said. (ANI)

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Mint
28 minutes ago
- Mint
PM Modi to flag off first train to Kashmir on Friday: Here's why it is India's historic rail milestone
The stage is all set for the first-ever train to Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will finally inaugurate the first Vande Bharat Express train to Kashmir on 6 June from Jammu after the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project. This will be Prime Minister Modi's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after 'Operation Sindoor' – India's precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan launched on 7 May in response to the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. Modi will flag off the train services from the Shri at Vaishno Devi (SMVD) railway station in Katra, Jammu to Baramulla in north Kashmir. Modi will also flag off another train from Baramulla to Katra on the occasion. Trains have been running between Banihal and Baramulla in the Kashmir valley, and between Jammu, Udhampur and Katra in Jammu region. But the 111-km Katra-Banihal section was the most difficult to construct owing to the challenging terrain. Modi will also inaugurate the highest railway arch bridge over river Chenab and India's first cable-stayed Anji Khad bridge on the occasion. He is also expected to address a rally on the occasion. Earlier, the inauguration of the much-awaited train was scheduled for 19 April, however, it was postponed dur to bad weather. Three days later Pahalgam terror attack happened in Kashmir. The development will end over 70 years of wait for a direct train service to Kashmir linking the valley to rest of India first time throough a rail link. At present, trains are operational just between Sangaldan and Baramulla in the Valley and from Katra to across the country. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link (USBRL) Project was initially sanctioned in 1995 during the time of Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, at an estimated cost of ₹ 2,500 crore. While the ambitious project to connect Kashmir by train began in 1997, it was commissioned in bits and parts and faced multiple delays due to geographical challenges posed by the terrain. However, it gained momentum after then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee designated it as a national initiative in 2002. In 2009, Qazigund - Baramulla section in Kashmir was rendered operational, following which in 2013, the 18-km Banihal - Qazigund section, and in 2014 - the 24-km Udhampur - Katra section was started. In 2023, the section between Banihal and Sangaldan was started and now the connectivity between Sangaldan and Katra, which is believed to be the most difficult of all sections has been completed. The Banihal-Katra section contains 97 km of tunnels and 7 km of bridges. In December 2024, Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister of Railways, said that the final track construction of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link was finished. "Historic milestone; final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is complete. The ballastless track work for the 3.2 km-long Tunnel T-33, located at the foothills of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and connecting Katra to Reasi, was successfully completed today at 02:00 hrs," he wrote on X The famous Chenab Bridge, the world's tallest railway bridge standing 359 meters above mean sea level, is also part of the track and will enhance the picturesque route connecting Jammu and Srinagar. At an estimated cost of over ₹ 43,000 crore, the USBR Lproject involved laying out ballast less tracks over bridges and tunnels, spanning deep gorges, with 90 per cent of the route traversed over 943 bridges, and 36 main tunnels, including India's longest railway tunnel, T-50 stretching more than 12.7 km. On the Katra - Banihal section, the train will also traverse another engineering marvel, the Anji Khad bridge, which is India's first cable-stayed bridge. Supported by 96 cables, the 725-meter-long bridge stands 331 meters above mean sea level. For now, only one Kashmir-specific Vande Bharat train will ply on the Katra and Srinagar route to Baramulla. More trains will start plying on the route based on the public response, officials said. Earlier a direct train from Delhi to Srinagar was expected. But due to security and weather reasons, the passengers would have to get down at the Katra railway station and board another train to continue the journey forward to Kashmir. In February, Vaishnaw said that passengers who want to travel from Delhi to Srinagar can book one ticket and change the train at Katra railway. All passengers boarding the train to Srinagar from Delhi or vice versa or from any other part of the country would have to undergo thorough frisking. Besides, their luggage would be screened at the time of boarding. The luggage would then undergo fresh scanning at departure lounges once the passengers get down at the Katra station. Before they board another train, they would again be subjected to frisking by the security personnel. The trains will ply on the Kashmir route only during the daytime. No trains would ply during evening hours in the Valley. The Kashmir version of Vande Bharat is equipped with climate-specific adaptations to provide advance heating systems in sub-zero temperatures, driver's front lookout glass embedded with heating elements for defrosting, and to ensure clear visibility during harsh winters. The region's connectivity with the rest of the country would be improved with the completion of the USBRL Project and the launch of direct Vande Bharat trains between Kashmir and Delhi via Jammu. In addition to addressing logistical issues, this will boost economic expansion and encourage travel. -The total cost of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link project is about ₹ 43,000 crore. -The seamless all-weather connectivity links Kashmir Valley to the rest of India for the first time through a rail link. -The connectivity will boost the local economy and trade by offering easier transport if local goods like apples, saffron and handicrafts to major Indian markets. Until now, these products had to be transported through Jammu and Kashmir Highway which gets affected by harsh weather during winters. -The rail link will also improve access to popular destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam. Tourism in Kashmir Valley was severly affeceted after Pahalgam terror attack. Historic milestone; final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link is complete. -Officials said that the project will also create employment opportunities in railway, tourism, and logistics sectors. -Above all, it simplifies travel to major cities for medical care and universities.


Hans India
37 minutes ago
- Hans India
Op Sindoor: Pakistan dossier reveals more targets hit
New Delhi: India struck deeper and wider inside Pakistan during Operation Sindoor than it officially acknowledged, a confidential Pakistani dossier on its internal military Operation 'Bunyan un Marsoos' has revealed. The dossier, accessed by NDTV, documents at least eight additional Indian airstrikes that were not previously disclosed by Indian defence authorities. Maps within the Pakistani dossier show Indian strikes on key cities such as Peshawar, Jhang, Hyderabad in Sindh, Gujrat in Punjab, Gujranwala, Bahawalnagar, Attock, and Chor -- locations that were not publicly mentioned by the Indian Air Force or the Director General of Military Operations during the press briefings held after the May 7 counteroffensive. The new details shed fresh light on the scale of Operation Sindoor and are being viewed as a significant factor behind Pakistan's urgent call for a ceasefire. Operation Sindoor was launched by India against the nine high-value terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack, in which terrorists associated with an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba killed 26 civilians, including one Nepali national.] The dossier contradicts Islamabad's earlier claims of having inflicted heavy losses on India and instead underscores the depth of damage suffered on Pakistani soil. Indian defence sources had already outlined the strike's magnitude, including the targeting of key terror hubs across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack. While initial briefings named several high-value targets, including the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur and the Lashkar-e-Taiba camp in Muridke, the revelation of deeper incursions suggests a strategic decision by New Delhi to allow Pakistan to reveal the full extent of the damage. The newly disclosed targets reportedly include both military and dual-use installations in urban centres far beyond the areas acknowledged by India, indicating a far more ambitious and calculated military operation than previously understood. Earlier satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies had already confirmed extensive damage at several sites, corroborating Indian claims of precision strikes against terror infrastructure. The nine locations initially confirmed by India included Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Rawalakot, Chakswari, Bhimber, Neelum Valley, Jhelum, Chakwal, and the aforementioned terror bases. Despite India's clear statement that its actions were confined to targeting terror facilities, Pakistan responded with a barrage of drone and missile attacks against Indian civilian areas, religious infrastructure and military posts along the western front. India's counter-response included the targeting of 11 Pakistani air bases -- Nur Khan, Rafiqui, Murid, Sukkur, Sialkot, Pasrur, Chunian, Sargodha, Skardu, Bholari, and Jacobabad -- causing substantial military damage. This unprecedented escalation, lasting three days, eventually forced Pakistan to request a ceasefire, a move widely interpreted as a sign of the heavy losses it sustained.


News18
39 minutes ago
- News18
Why A Mega Dalit Outreach Is Part Of BJP's Plan For Poll-Bound Bihar From June 20
Last Updated: Caste arithmetic and an unfavourable result in the elections last year have prompted the party to take steps to win the poll battle The BJP has decided to go all out to woo Dalits of poll-bound Bihar, even before seat-sharing talks have begun among the NDA constituents for the upcoming election. Starting June 20, the party will target the Ravidas community by organising the Sant Shiromani Ravidas Sammelan-cum-honour ceremony in Bihar. Sant Ravidas, a 15th-century Bhakti saint, is a significant figure in the Dalit community and is widely recognised as a Dalit icon. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi commemorated Ravidas' 647th birth anniversary in his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. Now, with Bihar election around the corner, BJP has decided to hold such conclaves in different districts and created a schedule for that. News18 has learnt that BJP has fixed conclave dates for Begusarai on June 20, Samastipur on June 22, Madhubani on June 25, Bagaha and Bhagalpur on June 29, Saharsa on June 30, Muzaffarpur and Siwan on July 6, Darbhanga on July 7, Gaya on July 13, Banka on July 16, Arwal on July 18, Khagaria and Sitamarhi on July 20 and Gopalganj on July 31, which will be the season finale. There will also be a special conclave through which Dalit outreach efforts will be made in Bihar's capital Patna though the date for it is not yet finalised. The party wants the Patna conclave to be a show-stopper with big names in attendance, and hence, the date will depend on their availability, say BJP sources. But why the focus on Dalits? Sources in the know suggest there are two reasons behind it. One is pure caste arithmetic. Though the Ravidas community constitutes just 5 per cent of Bihar's voters, if the total Dalit pie in Bihar is taken into consideration, the number jumps to 19 per cent. While BJP is confident about upper castes and OBC support of a few, JDU too brings OBC strengths. Even NDA's smaller allies like Rashtriya Lok Morcha leader Upendra Kushwaha can influence OBC votes. Only former Bihar CM Jitin Ram Majhi's Hindustan Awam Morcha-Secular(HAM-S) and LJP (RV) Chirag Paswan have limited sway over those known as the backwards. The second reason stems from an unfavourable experience in last year's Lok Sabha election when the BJP-led NDA lost nine Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, NDA won 39 seats while in 2024, it managed to win 30. In neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, the situation was even more grim. The BJP-led NDA lost a whopping 28 seats. Later, BJP went on record to accept that Congress managed to twist BJP's '400 paar' campaign slogan as fear mongering among Dalit voters, suggesting their reservation rights are on the line. This worked against the BJP in the two Hindi heartland states. Since June 4 last year, when the results were declared, BJP has taken corrective measures to win the narrative war. However, the party feels that with no big alliance partner that has a solid grip among the Dalit community, the outreach is the best way forward. Sources in the BJP say the plan to carpet-bomb the Ravidas Sammelans was conceived in mid-May when Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Bihar Police stopped him on his way to Ambedkar hostel in Darbhanga, adding that 'they could not stop me because your power (minority community) is watching over me". Back then, Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal had hit out at Gandhi, saying: 'He should use his mind. If he had to use a government building or hostel, he should have sent an official itinerary. He is the Leader of Opposition and a state president of a party has to teach this?" However, it is learnt that this visit may have worked as a catalyst for the state BJP to pre-emptively launch a mega Dalit outreach, having learnt its lessons last year. First Published: June 04, 2025, 10:29 IST