Latest news with #Pakistan-occupied
Indian Express
8 minutes ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Biggest damage to Pakistan was to their surveillance capabilities': Amit Shah on ‘Operation Sindoor'
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Friday that Pakistan will not be able to fight a 'war with complete information' for a long time 'in view of total destruction of its surveillance infrastructure' in India's strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan earlier this month. Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu – his first since India's 'Operation Sindoor' strikes – was addressing the Border Security Force in Poonch, the town that was hardest hit by cross-border shelling in the aftermath of the strikes. The strikes were in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people — including a Pakistan national — were killed. Border tensions between India and Pakistan escalated in the aftermath. In his speech, Shah, who arrived in the Union Territory Thursday, referred to a report that was received from Director General BSF in the aftermath of the strikes. 'The biggest damage on the Pakistan side has been the destruction of its surveillance capabilities,' he said. 'You selectively destroyed their entire surveillance network, which the enemy may take 4-5 four years to re-establish…Woh ab lambey samay tak sampuran jankari wali ladai nahi lad payega (It will not be able to fight a war with complete information about the other side for a long time),' he said. When Pakistan attacked India's residential areas in the aftermath of the strikes, the BSF in Jammu Frontier destroyed more than 118 of their posts, he said, adding that 'completely destroying or causing extensive damage to such a large number of posts in just three days is a very big thing'. 'This means that even during peace time you continued keeping surveillance on their `vidunsak' (destructive) infrastructure. You kept this precise information in mind and also made preparations about how to cause maximum damage within the shortest possible time,' he said. The BSF faces the first assault on the country's frontiers, he said. 'That is why every child in the country also knows you as the first line of defence of the country,' he said. During his visit, Shah also met families who lost their loved ones in the cross-border shelling when border tensions escalated. At an event organised in Poonch to give job offers to those families that saw deaths in the shelling, Shah said that India's defence mechanism will become stronger 'in view of the deeds of the terrorists and Pakistan'. 'The entire sequence of events has showcased India's defence policy and has shown to the entire world that it will not tolerate any sort of assault on its citizens,' he said, adding that any attacks will be responded to with 'much more precision and severity'. Hundreds of terrorists were killed in the strikes, Shah said, saying this was the 'perhaps the first time that India's defence forces destroyed a terror headquarters linked to various outfits in Pakistan'. 'This befitting reply could be possible only due to the bold political will and decision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, coupled with accurate information by our intelligence agencies and our defence forces' courage and precision strike capabilities,' he said. He went on to say: 'Under that policy of responding to every terror attack with the same swiftness and severity, India had destroyed terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on the night of May 7. We had attacked terrorists, but Pakistan took it as an attack on itself and proved before the entire world that it was harbouring terrorists and it had been a safe haven for terrorists'. There was neither any attack on Pakistan's army camps nor were their civilians killed 'as the Indian forces had in a precise and calibrated response' to Pahalgam terror attack, he said. 'But what Pakistan did – shelling residential areas of Jammu and Kashmir the next day – is baffling,' he said. 'And when Pakistan attacked our civilians, the Indian defence forces gave befitting reply and destroyed nine of their air stations and damaged their striking capabilities, making them ask for a ceasefire.' Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already made clear that terror and talks cannot go together, just like 'blood and water cannot flow together', he said. No compensation or job can make up for the loss of human lives, he said. 'This is just a gesture to express the feelings of the Jammu and Kashmir government, the Centre and the people of India. It is to say 'we are with you',' he said.
Hindustan Times
28 minutes ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Kept my word, razed terror hideouts to the ground: Modi in Bihar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he had delivered on his promise made during his last visit to Bihar to pursue and punish terrorists and their backers and asserted that the fight against terror was 'neither over, nor has it come to a halt'. 'After the dreadful terrorist attack in Pahalgam, I had promised the country from the land of Bihar that the hideouts of the perpetrators of terrorism would be razed to the ground, that they would get a punishment beyond their imagination. Today, when I have come to Bihar, I have come here after fulfilling my promise,' PM Modi said at a public event in Bikramganj in Rohtas district, referring to India's successful military action against terror organisations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7 under Operation Sindoor, in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. On his last visit to Bihar on April 24, PM Modi vowed to punish those responsible for the deadly terror strike in Kashmir that had killed 26 people. 'Friends, today from the soil of Bihar, I say it to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth,' PM Modi said in Madhubani district on April 24. At Friday's event 300km away, the prime minister said those who dared to wipe off 'sindoor' from the foreheads of our sisters have had their hideouts and safe havens reduced to rubble by the brave armed forces in one stroke. In his speech, PM Modi also paid tributes to Mohammed Imtiyaz, a Border Security Force jawan from Bihar who had laid down his life for the country on May 10. 'At present, the enemy has seen just one arrow from our quiver. Our fight against terrorism is neither over, nor has it come to a halt. If terror raises its hood again, it will be dragged out of its hole and trampled,' he said. PM Modi also referred to the progress made in dealing with Maoist violence, saying India was fighting against its enemies, both across the border as well as within the country. He said there were 125 Maoist-affected districts before 2014 when he took over as prime minister. 'Now the number has been reduced to just 18 and the day is not far when they will be completely wiped out to ensure peace, safety, development, education and employment everywhere,' he said. He also took a dig at the Congress and the RJD for 'trying to cheat people with social justice while doing everything to loot and exploit the deprived sections of Dalits and the backward classes when they were in power'. 'Before the NDA government in Bihar, the state was devoid of basic infrastructure, roads and electricity. But that era is over now. Bihar has modern airports and high-speed trains, four- and six-lane roads crisscrossing the state, electricity, and a huge infrastructure development. All these works could have been done earlier also, but those in power looted and exploited the poor by taking away their land for jobs (in an oblique reference to the land for job case involving RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav). This was their style of social justice to exploit the deprived lot to ensure a lavish lifestyle for themselves. Now they are desperate for power and again trying to lure the deprived lot with social justice talk after doing the biggest injustice with them when they were in power. People need to be wary of them,' he added.
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Business Standard
29 minutes ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
PM Modi slams RJD over land grabs, calls out its 'Jungle Raj' in Bihar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) of cheating people under the guise of social justice. He further alleged that the constituents of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) are now 'trying to grab power again' in the state. Addressing a public rally in Bihar's Karakat in Rohtas district, PM Modi said, 'Leaders of the Congress and the RJD only cheated SC, ST, and OBC communities in the garb of social justice. They are responsible for the plight of the poor today. Now, leaders of these parties are again trying to usurp power,' news agency PTI reported. Accusing RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family of seizing land from the poor during their tenure, he said, 'He and his family snatched land from poor people during the RJD rule in Bihar. They never thought of the betterment of the poor. That was Jungle Raj. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did a lot for the overall growth of the state. We cannot imagine a Viksit Bharat without a Viksit Bihar.' PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Bihar, held a roadshow in Patna on Thursday evening. Earlier on Friday, he launched development projects worth more than ₹48,520 crore in Karakat. This marks his second visit to the state in two months, ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. PM Modi highlights India's military prowess While addressing the rally in Bihar, PM Modi lauded Operation Sindoor, coordinated missile strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). He said he returned to Bihar only after fulfilling his promise to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists. Praising the Indian armed forces, he said, 'I salute the armed forces for the success of Operation Sindoor. India's fight against terror will continue. Terror camps in Pakistan were attacked by our forces. They had never imagined that India could make such big decisions.'
Hindustan Times
44 minutes ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
'Pakistan will face Indian Navy's firepower if it resorts to anything evil': Rajnath Singh
Union defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that India will use the firepower of its navy in response to any future aggression by Pakistan. Addressing officers and sailors onboard India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, off the Goa coast, Rajnath Singh lauded Operation Sindoor as the country's frontal assault against terrorism. 'Operation Sindoor is not just a military action, but India's frontal assault against terrorism, and if Pakistan resorts to anything evil or unethical, it will, this time, face the firepower and ire of the Indian Navy," Rajnath Singh said at the event. He also warned that India will use every method to root out the menace of terrorism if Pakistan instigates any terror act against India. Also Read | Pakistan should hand over Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed to India: Rajnath Singh 'Now, if Pakistan instigates any terrorist attack against India, it will have to bear the consequences and face defeat. India will not hesitate. It will use every method to root out the menace of terrorism,' he said. During Friday's event, Rajnath Singh lauded Operation Sindoor, saying that the armed forces' speed, depth, and clarity in the mission were remarkable. 'Our strike was so powerful that Pakistan began pleading with the entire world to stop India,' he said. Also Read | PM Modi's latest warning to Pakistan from Bihar: 'Fight against terror has neither ended nor halted' The defence minister also lauded the navy's role in Operation Sindoor, saying that when the Indian Air Force destroyed the terror bases on Pakistani soil, the Navy's aggressive deployment in the Arabian Sea, its unmatched maritime domain awareness and supremacy confined the Pakistani Navy to its own shores. 'Our Western Fleet ships deployed at sea, within 96 hours of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, carried out successful firings of surface-to-surface & surface-to-air missiles and torpedoes on the western & eastern coast. It demonstrated the combat readiness of our platforms, systems & crew and our intent & readiness, forcing the enemy to come into a defensive posture,' he said. Operation Sindoor was India's direct military response to the April 22 terror strike at Pahalgam in Kashmir that killed 26 civilians in what was the worst attack on civilians since the 26/11 Mumbai strikes. India launched the operation in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The pre-dawn strikes – which killed at least 100 terrorists – sparked a series of attacks and counter attacks across the western border, involving fighter jets, missiles, armed drones, and fierce artillery and rocket duels. Also Read | In 4 days, India's 'Operation Sindoor' caused massive damage in Pakistan In one such counterattack on the night of May 9-10, the air force struck targets at 13 Pakistani air bases and military installations. After four days of fighting, military hostilities were stopped on May 10 as the two nations reached an understanding.
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
'How many Rafale jets shot down by Pak?' asks Revanth Reddy; BJP responds
BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Sambit Patra on Friday came down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for their remarks on the Rafale fighter jets, accusing them of echoing Pakistan's line and questioning the Indian armed forces. At a rally in Telangana on Thursday, Reddy had demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi explain how many Rafale fighter jets were shot down by Pakistan during the recent conflict. He also criticised the BJP government for not convening an all-party meeting before ending the conflict and accused the government of failing to deliver on national security promises, including the retrieval of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Rahul Gandhi too had raised questions on X: 'EAM Jaishankar's silence isn't just telling, it's damning. So I'll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew? This wasn't a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth.' 'Saboot gang active again', says BJP Addressing a press conference on Friday, BJP MP Sambit Patra charged that while the Congress claims to support the nation, its leaders repeatedly undermine the military. 'The 'saboot gang' (evidence gang) is at it again,' Patra said, referring to Congress leaders' frequent calls for proof of India's military actions. 'Instead of asking how many Pakistani air bases were destroyed or how many terrorists were killed, Rahul Gandhi is only interested in knowing how many Indian planes were shot down,' Patra said, adding, 'Yeh jo Pakistan ke babbar hain, woh Hindustan ke gabbar hain.' Patra also accused Congress of sympathising with terrorists. 'Sonia Gandhi cried for slain terrorists. Rahul Gandhi celebrated after 26/11. Now, Revanth Reddy, Rahul Gandhi, and Jairam Ramesh are questioning how many Indian aircraft were lost,' he said. Patra informed, India destroyed nine terror camps and 11 Pakistani air bases, and satellite images were shown as proof. 'If a Rafale had crashed, there would be wreckage and proof. There is none,' he said, accusing Congress of sowing doubt. 'Pakistan ki Hind yatra' jibe Criticising the Congress' 'Jai Hind Yatra', Patra said, 'It's beginning to look like 'Pakistan ki Hind Yatra'. There are now two factions in Congress, one that openly supports Pakistan and another that wants to stand with India but is silenced by leaders like Rahul Gandhi. They should stop this yatra and hold a joint press conference with Pakistan instead.' 'Cong sourcing intel from WhatsApp': Amit Malviya BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared similar views on social media. In a post on X, he wrote, 'After Rahul Gandhi, now Telangana Chief Minister and Congress leader Revanth Reddy asks - 'How many Rafale jets did Pakistan shoot down?' It is honestly astonishing how out of depth these leaders are when it comes to matters of national security.' After Rahul Gandhi, now Telangana Chief Minister and Congress leader Revanth Reddy asks — 'How many Rafale jets did Pakistan shoot down?' It is honestly astonishing how out of depth these leaders are when it comes to matters of national security. If Pakistan had actually shot… — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 29, 2025 Malviya argued that if Pakistan had actually downed a Rafale, there would have been evidence such as satellite images, wreckage, or confirmations from international agencies — just as India had provided evidence for its own military operations. 'But instead of standing with our armed forces, Congress leaders seem to be sourcing their 'intel' from WhatsApp forwards, social media speculation, or worse — their imagination. They sound more like Pakistan's PR team than India's opposition,' he said. 'It is almost like the questions Pakistan would love to ask are now being asked, conveniently, by the Congress party. Whether by ignorance or design, they're playing right into enemy hands. And they're doing a splendid job at it,' Malviya said. [With agency inputs]
