Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, speaking in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, launched a strong criticism of the government’s handling of Operation Sindoor, accusing it of lacking the political will to fully support the Indian armed forces and even revealing sensitive information to Pakistan, reported the PTI.
Speaking in Lok Sabha, he sharply criticised the government`s military response to the attack, raising questions about Defence Minister Rajnath Singh`s statements on the floor of the House.
Referring to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s earlier statement in the House, Gandhi said, “Rajnath Singh stated that Operation Sindoor commenced at 1:05 am and by 1:35 am, India had already informed Pakistan that only non-military targets had been hit and that escalation was not intended.”
“These are not my words, but those of India’s Defence Minister,” he added, questioning the rationale behind such disclosures so soon after the operation began, according to the PTI.
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) was directed to seek a ceasefire merely 30 minutes after the start of the operation, implying that political leaders undermined the armed forces` operational freedom.
“If you want to utilise the Indian armed forces, there must be complete political will. They must be given full freedom to act,” he said, as per the PTI.
He further accused the government of effectively “surrendering” by limiting the scope of the military response.
“You told Pakistan at 1:35 in the night that you were not going to target their military or air defence systems. That is not operational freedom; that is surrender,” Rahul Gandhi stated, the news agency reported.
The Congress leader also linked the reported loss of Indian aircraft during the operation to political decisions rather than military failings.
“These aircraft were lost because political leadership had restricted the armed forces by deciding not to strike military or air defence installations in Pakistan,” he claimed, reported the PTI.
Quoting India’s defence attache in Indonesia, Gandhi said that Indian pilots had been instructed not to attack Pakistan`s air defence systems — highlighting, in his view, the government`s lack of resolve in executing a robust military response.
(with PTI inputs)