In a charged address to Parliament on Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded the success of Operation Sindoor, declaring it a swift and decisive blow against terrorism.
“Our soldiers entered the terrorists’ very strongholds and exacted retribution — for the Sindoor of our mothers and sisters,” Singh told the Lok Sabha, adding: “This laali of Sindoor is a tale of bravery” reported the IANS.
According to the Defence Minister, the operation neutralised over 100 terrorists, handlers and trainers within a mere 22 minutes, striking key terror hubs with surgical precision.
Singh underlined that the offensive faced no delay or compromise under Pakistani pressure, and continued until every objective was achieved.
The highly anticipated debate was delayed three times as the opposition raised vociferous objections over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) voter verification drive in Bihar, which they claim may disenfranchise marginalised groups, according to the IANS.
The discussion on Operation Sindoor finally began at 2.05 pm following repeated adjournments.
During his speech, Rajnath Singh stated that the mission was not about territorial gains but about crippling terrorist infrastructure.
“The aim was not to seize land, but to destroy those who had long been sheltered to wage war on India,” he said, as per the IANS.
Singh also highlighted the tri-service coordination in the mission: the Navy bolstered presence in the North Arabian Sea, while the Air Force struck targets in Muridke and Bahawalpur.
He insisted that the operation was conducted in self-defence, countering Pakistani claims of escalation. “Pakistan deployed electronic warfare and attacked our airports — but we repelled each attempt,” he said, the news agency reported.
While the government framed the mission as a security success, tensions in the House remained high. Opposition MPs continued to demand discussion on the Bihar SIR drive before addressing national security, highlighting deepening political divisions over electoral integrity and strategic policy.
The debate on Operation Sindoor is set to continue for 16 hours each in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Key figures expected to speak include Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, and potentially Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
(with IANS inputs)