Op Sindoor fought against China and not Pak: Akhilesh

Time of India

5 days ago

Lucknow: Describing China as the 'dragon' that will usurp not only Indian territory but trade as well, Samajwadi Party chief
Akhilesh Yadav
on Tuesday said that
Operation Sindoor
was fought against China, and not Pakistan.
Speaking in the debate on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha, Akhilesh said infiltration of terrorists was a constant serious concern along Pakistan border, but China has emerged as a more serious threat. "Humein Cheen se utna hi khatra hai jitna humein atankwad se khatra hai (For us China is as serious a threat as terrorism)," he said.
In his 34-minute-long address, the SP chief emphatically underlined his concern over India not seeing China as a threat and maintaining economic and trade ties with it.
"We are against war. We aspire for peace at the border. This war (Op Sindoor) was not against Pakistan. No matter how much you (govt) try, you cannot sweep it under the carpet that you had to fight this war against China," Akhilesh said, adding that he would expect a reply from govt on who was backing Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
In order to reign in Pakistan, India will have revise its economic and trade policy with China, the SP chief said, suggesting that India should reduce trade ties with China over a period of 10 to 15 years and this will help India to follow its call for "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India).
Akhilesh questioned the timing of the killing of three Pahalgam terrorists which coincided with Parliament debate on Operation Sindoor. He asked why govt had failed to trace the place from where the suicide bomber's car loaded with explosives came in
Pulwama attack
of 2019.
Akhilesh, who is MP from Kannauj, claimed that the Indian borders in the north east were not secure and encroachments were happening at regular intervals. He demanded that govt must provide specifics like the total area of Indian territory in 2014 and in square kilometres in 2014 and the area under Indian occupation in 2025.
"Those who claimed in their election rallies that they would take back PoK and Aksai Chin, I want to ask govt: What was the surface area of India when this govt was formed in 2014 and the corresponding statistics as in 2025?," Akhilesh said.
Akhilesh slammed govt's failure to reign in those who targeted family members of Pahalgam victims who called for harmony and peace post the terror attack.