Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said Operation Sindoor has exposed the fact that terrorism in India is fully Pakistan-sponsored.
According to news agency PTI, Shah, while delivering the Rustamji Memorial Lecture organised by the Border Security Force (BSF) on the occasion of its 22nd Investiture Ceremony, said that the border guarding force had proved its mettle during Operation Sindoor and did not allow nefarious Pakistani activities.
KF Rustamji was the founding father and the first Director General of BSF, the world`s largest border guarding force with about 2.75 lakh personnel tasked with guarding Indian borders with Pakistan on the west and Bangladesh on the east.
It`s worth noting that the BSF was raised in 1965.
The Home Minister also referred to the 2016 attack on the Indian Army in Uri and said that under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, the Indian Army had responded with a surgical strike. After that, following the Pulwama attack, the Indian Air Force carried out an air strike on Pakistan.
`Now, in Pahalgam, innocent tourists were killed after asking about their religion. Operation Sindoor was the reply to it. The world is appreciating us for this. I salute the Army,” he said.
On May 7, India carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
The Home Minister further said that the Indian Armed Forces first hit the terror bases in Pakistan, but it was the Pakistan Army that responded by trying to attack India.
“We launched Operation Sindoor and destroyed nine terrorist camps. It is important to note that we didn’t target Pakistan Army installations, civilians, or air bases,” he said.
Giving details about the operation, he added, “We targeted the terrorists, but Pakistan took it upon itself and thereby proved that it was Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.”
“They dared to target our civilians but couldn’t succeed in the face of our air defence system. In response, we targeted their air base and demonstrated our striking capability,” the Home Minister said, as reported by PTI.
Operation Sindoor was carried out by the Indian Army on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The operation destroyed terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
In retaliation, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. However, Indian forces launched a fierce counterattack on several Pakistani military installations.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the military confrontation after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
Hailing the role played by the BSF in securing the country, Shah said the force is a great example of how one can overcome all difficulties through patriotism and become the best force in the world.
Referring to the BSF`s role in guarding international borders, including Bangladesh’s, Shah said the neighbouring country should not forget the major role played by the BSF in its creation.
He said, on behalf of the entire nation, he salutes more than 2,000 border guards who have made the supreme sacrifice while fearlessly walking the path of duty with a spirit of supreme sacrifice from 1965 to 2025, reported PTI.
(With PTI inputs)