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The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
India's ‘1st surgical strike' was under Modi—Shashi Tharoor's remarks in Panama draw Congress fury
'What has changed in recent years is that the terrorists have also realised they will have a price to pay. On that, let there be no doubt. When, for the first time, India breached the Line of Control between India and Pakistan to conduct a surgical strike on a terror base, a launch pad, the Uri strike,' Tharoor said. Tharoor's remarks, made in a speech to a gathering of the Indian community in Panama City, deepened his growing rift with the Congress, which was already upset over him accepting the Centre's invitation to lead a multi-party delegation on Operation Sindoor to various world capitals including Panama City and Washington among others. New Delhi: The Congress leadership Wednesday endorsed a statement of party leader Udit Raj that Shashi Tharoor should become the 'super spokesperson of BJP'. This came after the four-time MP's remarks in Panama that India crossed the Line of Control to carry out surgical strikes on a terror base 'for the first time' under the Narendra Modi government in 2016. 'Even during the Kargil war we had not crossed the LoC, in Uri we did. Then came the attack in Pulwama…this time we crossed not only the LoC but the international border and we struck terrorist headquarters in Balakot,' the Thiruvananthapuram MP said. He went on to add that Operation Sindoor was New Delhi's way of signalling a new normal. 'This time we have gone not only beyond the LoC and the International Border, we have struck at the Punjabi heartland of Pakistan by hitting terror bases, training centres, terror headquarters in nine places in both Punjab and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. And let me say to you that this is going to be the new normal. The PM has made it very clear that Operation Sindoor was necessary because these terrorists came and wiped the sindoor off the foreheads of 26 women.' Congress's media and publicity department chairperson Pawan Khera took to social media to make it clear that the party leadership had taken umbrage to Tharoor's remarks. He shared a news report on former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that the Congress-led UPA government had also carried out surgical strikes. 'Former PM Manmohan Singh: Many Surgical Strikes Conducted Under UPA….CC @ShashiTharoor,' Khera posted on X. The post was shared by many Congress leaders including the party's general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh. My dear @ShashiTharoor Alas ! I could prevail upon PM Modi to declare you as super spokesperson of BJP , even declaring as foreign minister before landing in India . How could you denigrate the golden history of Congress by saying that before PM Modi , India never crossed LOC… — Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) May 28, 2025 Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive…. — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) May 28, 2025 In an interview to the Hindustan Times in 2019, Singh, who died in December last year, had said: '…our armed forces were always given a free hand to operationally respond to every threat. Multiple surgical strikes took place during our tenure too. For us, military operations were meant for strategic deterrence and giving a befitting reply to anti-India forces than to be used for vote garnering exercises.' Khera also posted a picture on X, tagging Tharoor, showing officers of 4 Sikh Regiment posing outside a captured Pakistani police station in Burki, Lahore District, during the 1965 war. 'This image is from the Battle of Burki (also known as the Battle of Lahore, 1965), a significant engagement during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, fought between Indian infantry units and Pakistani armoured forces. Burki is a village located southeast of Lahore, near the India-Pakistan border, approximately 11 km from Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport, connected to the city by a bridge over the Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian (BRB) Canal. CC @ShashiTharoor,' wrote Khera. Officers of 4 Sikh Regiment posing outside a captured Pakistani police station in Burki, Lahore District. This image is from the Battle of Burki (also known as the Battle of Lahore, 1965), a significant engagement during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, fought between Indian… — Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) May 28, 2025 Congress leader Udit Raj took on Tharoor more directly, accusing him of being 'dishonest' to the party. 'Alas! I could prevail upon PM Modi to declare you as super spokesperson of BJP, even declaring as foreign minister before landing in India. How could you denigrate the golden history of Congress by saying that before PM Modi, India never crossed the LoC and International Border…How could you be so dishonest to the party which gave you so much ?' Raj posted on X. Both Ramesh and Khera shared Raj's post. (Edited by Gitanjali Das) Also Read: What if Congress loses Tharoor? Rahul Gandhi is preparing for a re-do of Punjab in Kerala
NDTV
2 days ago
- General
- NDTV
Footprints In The Sand: How Pagis' Unique Skill Helped Gujarat During Op Sindoor
They can identify the enemy just by seeing footprints in the white desert sand in Kutch, and technical advancements may have been made, but security forces continue to depend on them for their expertise, including during Operation Sindoor. The unique skill has been perfected by the 'Pagis' (meaning scouts), local residents who walk barefoot in the white desert, their eyes focused on patterns in the vast landscape, noticing even a slight disturbance. After the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India launched Operation Sindoor with precision strikes on terror infrastructure inside Pakistan on May 7. Pakistan then targeted civilian and military sites in India on three successive days, prompting India to strike back and attack military installations, including key air bases. Along with other border states like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan, Gujarat was also targeted by Pakistan, and the services of Pagis were mobilised by the authorities. Gujarat shares a 508-km border with Pakistan. The land border between the two countries is mostly the Rann of Kutch, a massive salt marsh in the Thar Desert that is difficult for security forces to patrol. Additionally, over half a dozen districts in the state share a sea border with the neighbouring country. Officials from the Border Security Force and Gujarat Police said the skills of the Pagis have been utilised during peacetime - when they help thwart the smuggling of drugs and other contraband - and during phases of tensions with Pakistan, including 1965, 1971 and the Kargil war - and the escalation after Operation Sindoor was no different. Pagis use their extraordinary skill and instinct to locate not only places in the desert without any maps but people and animals in a group - guessing their weight, height and even gender - by merely seeing the footprints of both camels and humans. "Naturally, they make the most coveted and unparalleled 'soldiers' on the line of defence," an official said. "We used all our resources, including the Pagis, during Operation Sindoor. We have a sufficient number of Pagis in the border areas, who work for us during peacetime as well. Pagis are experienced, and though some may have retired from our services, we still depend on them for their expertise. They help track the intruders in the border areas," said Vikas Kunda, Superintendent of Police, Kutch West. The Pagis, the officials said, helped them be sure that there were no enemies - terrorists or otherwise - entering Gujarat from the Pakistani side. The Gujarat Police have a post called Pagi and 25 Pagis were recruited by the force in a single year in 2014. Their numbers have only increased since then. The Pagis also serve as guides to the Border Security Force. The BSF conducts extensive patrolling on 168 km of the Pakistani border, where fencing is not feasible. This is where the skills of the Pagi prove especially useful - many Pakistani drug smugglers have been arrested or killed in these areas and drugs worth crores have been seized because of the information provided by them. History Ranchhor Das Rabari, a scout and tracker who helped the Army on the India-Pakistan border at Kutch in 1971, was immortalised by Sanjay Dutt in the Hindi movie 'Bhuj: The Pride of India', which also starred Ajay Devgn. General Sam Manekshaw bestowed the title of Pagi on Ranchhor Rabari for being a scout for the Army since 1965. The title was a mark of respect and authority, recognising his knowledge and unique skills. The Gujarat State School Textbook Board introduced a chapter on Ranchhor Pagi in its Gujarati subject textbook for Class 7 for the 2023-24 academic year. There is also a Ranchhor Das checkpost at the Kutch border named after him. Osman Abdulla Namori, a 71-year-old Paggi, retired from the Gujarat Police two years ago, but his services were called upon during the recent tensions. "My eyes have become weak. But they are still trained to identify the trespasser in the sands. I also help detect thieves and criminals in my area in Nana Dinara (near Khavda village in Kutch district)." About passing on his skills to the younger generation, he says, "My children didn't have the potential to take up my profession. But other youngsters in my village have been inspired. It requires extraordinary skill to read the little nuances from marks in the desert. Not everyone has it," says Namori.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Delhi HC refuses to entertain plea to form Gujjar regiment in Indian Army
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a public interest litigation seeking direction to the Centre for the formation of a Gujjar regiment in the Indian Army. A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela termed the PIL to be "absolutely divisive" and asked the counsel for the petitioner to do some research before taking up such petitions. Sensing the court's mood which warned of imposing costs on the litigant, the petitioner's counsel withdrew the plea. "After arguing at some length, the counsel for the petitioner states that she has instructions from the petitioner who is present in the court to withdraw the petition. The same is dismissed as withdrawn, the bench said. The court was hearing a PIL by one Rohan Basoya, claiming that the Gujjar community has a well-documented history of bravery, having participated in various wars, including the 1857 revolt, Indo-Pak wars of 1947, 1965, 1971, Kargil war (1999) and counter insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir. "Despite this rich martial legacy, they (Gujjars) have not been accorded a dedicated regiment, unlike other martial communities such as Sikhs, Jats, Rajputs, Gorkhas, and Dogras," the plea said. It added that the Indian Army has historically maintained ethnic-based regiments, recognising the contributions of specific communities to national defence. However, the exclusion of Gujjars from the system creates an imbalance in representation and violates their constitutional rights under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution, the petition submitted. The plea submitted that establishment of a Gujjar regiment would provide equal opportunities, increase recruitment, and would strengthen national security. The demand for a Gujjar Regiment has been raised before, yet no concrete steps have been taken by the government. Given the community's presence in border regions like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Punjab, a Gujjar Regiment would also serve strategic military interests in counter-insurgency and border security operations, it said. The plea sought to direct the government to conduct a study on the feasibility of forming a Gujjar regiment and to implement necessary measures for its establishment. During the hearing, the bench orally said, "Please understand that you are seeking a mandamus. What is the prerequisite for mandamus? There has to be a right vested in you either by any statute or any law or the Constitution. Which is the law which gives you a right to have such a regiment? Where is that right?" It asked the petitioner's counsel which provision of the Constitution or any other enactment or customary law gives the right to have a regiment of persons of a particular community. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'State of denial': BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad takes dig at Pakistan for promoting 'defeated' army chief Asim Munir to field marshal
BJP MP ridicules Asim Munir In a sharp rebuke of Pakistan's military and political leadership, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday mocked the promotion of Pakistan's chief of army staff, General Asim Munir, to the rank of Field Marshal. This came despite what he called 'recent military and strategic failures' during India's Operation Sindoor . Delegation in France highlights terrorism concerns Leading an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation to France, Prasad criticised Pakistan for what he termed as a 'state of denial' over its role in fuelling terrorism in the region. The Indian delegation, comprising MPs from across party lines, met French and international media in Paris for a discussion on India's counter-terror efforts and regional security. "The most hilarious aspect was that the general whose forces were defeated at the hands of India decisively was promoted to Field Marshal. This is state of denial," said Prasad, referring to Munir's elevation in the wake of Operation Sindoor. Pakistan's 'historic victory' claim and military influence Despite this, Pakistan has projected the outcome as a 'historic victory' and praised Munir's leadership. General Munir now becomes only the second officer in Pakistan's history to be made Field Marshal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Undo The first, Ayub Khan, self-appointed himself to the role after assuming power through a coup in 1958. Prasad noted that Munir's promotion reflects the deep entrenchment of military influence in Pakistan's civilian affairs. "Terrorism as an instrument of state policy is a part of the military state of Pakistan. You know that no democracy there," he said, underscoring how the army continues to call the shots in the country. Pakistan in denial about terrorism, says Prasad He further pointed out that Pakistan's refusal to acknowledge its role in cross-border terrorism continues to obstruct peace in the region. "The distinction between the state of Pakistan and terrorism has withered away," he said. Briefing French journalists, Prasad stressed that the Indian delegation had not come to France in happier times but to convey a clear and direct message. "We have not come to Paris and meeting you in happier times. But we have to we have come to convey some straight message. Terrorism is not India centric, terrorism is now a global phenomenena," he said. Highlighting international concern, he said, "In the majority of the cases, terrorists, their patrons, and the groups, terror groups based in Pakistan have direct or indirect involvement. Today, there are 52 designated terrorists by UN." India's history of wars with Pakistan Prasad also revisited the history of wars between India and Pakistan. "India and Pakistan has four clear wars, 1948, 1965, 1971 where Bangladesh was created And Kargil war. None of these were started by India. I repeat, none of these were started by India," he emphasised, adding that successive Indian governments, including that of Prime Minister Modi, made peace overtures to Pakistan. He recalled PM Modi's invitation to Nawaz Sharif in 2014 and his personal visit to attend a family wedding in Pakistan. "And thereafter this has continued unabated. This time, India has conveyed in very clear terms this far and. and no further," he said. Clear message: You stop, we stop "A new norm has been set. We had attacked only the terrorist infrastructure... We conveyed to Pakistan that we did not want to escalate. We only wanted to attack terror infrastructure... On the morning of May 10, their DGMO talked to our DGMO... Our message was clear, you stop, we stop... Any act of terrorism will be constituted as an act of war," he added. Touching on the Indus Water Treaty , Prasad mentioned that it remains in abeyance until Pakistan provides verifiable proof that it has ceased supporting terrorism. Operation Sindoor: India's response to Pahalgam attack Operation Sindoor was a decisive Indian military operation launched on May 7 in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead. The operation targeted terror infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian military reported the killing of over 100 terrorists linked to groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Indian forces also responded to Pakistani retaliation by targeting airbases, eventually resulting in a mutual ceasefire on May 10.
India Gazette
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"India, UAE share common ethos": BJD MP Sasmit Patra exposes Pakistan during UAE visit
Dubai [UAE], May 23 (ANI): Emphasising India's global outreach against terrorism, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said that India shared the evidence showing the connection between Pakistan and the terrorists. Citing the recent Pahalgam terror attack, Patra detailed how Pakistan-backed groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba have formed proxies such as The Resistance Front (TRF). Patra, who is a part of the Group 4 delegation, led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, highlighted how the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), despite Pakistan's attempts to obstruct, condemned the attack in its April 25 resolution. While addressing a press conference on Friday, Patra said, 'We shared the incriminating evidence that clearly shows the connection between Pakistan and the terrorists. Since Lashkar-e-Taiba has come under the radar of the UNSC, they formed a proxy with the name of The Resistance Front (TRF). TRF took responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. When countries like the UAE took a stand and condemned this attack and supported India, that is when the world changed its stand.' Stressing the significance of Operation Sindoor as a targeted response, Patra praised the UAE for standing firmly with India. He also said that India and the UAE share a common ethos and an attack on India means an attack on the UAE. He added, 'Pakistan tried to cover up the act. UNSC brought out a resolution on April 25 condemning this attack. Pakistan tried all that it could to avoid the name of TRF from being written on the draft of that resolution. Why so? When Operation Sindoor was launched, all we did was target nine terror camps and their headquarters, three out of which were already mentioned as terror sites by the UNSC monitoring committee. Is it hidden from the world that a wanted terrorist was seen at the funeral of the terrorists killed in our operation? Is it hidden that the coffins of those terrorists were wrapped in the national flag and that top military brass is in attendance? What was the need for Pakistan to come after our civilians and air bases? Pahalgam was the first attack. Operation Sindoor was a response to that. India and the UAE share a common ethos. An attack on India means an attack on UAE.' Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Eknath Shinde, who is leading a high-level all-party Indian delegation to the UAE, delivered a strong message regarding India's firm stance against terrorism. Shinde emphasised that while India has always initiated dialogue, including gestures like the Lahore Declaration and Prime Ministerial visits to Pakistan, the response has often come in the form of terrorist attacks. While addressing a press conference, Shinde said, 'India is the one nation that has initiated dialogues time and again. There are many examples where our Prime Ministers visited Pakistan... After the Lahore Declaration, happened the Kargil war. So every time we initiated a discussion, we initiated a dialogue, but the answer given to us was the terrorist attack. I think their only motive is to destabilise India, which is progressing economically, where everyone is going ahead. I think it is very much important to understand that in the geopolitical region, in the Indian subcontinent, India is only one nation that is stable, that is going ahead.' (ANI)
