New Delhi, May 23: The Operation Sindoor undertaken by the Indian armed forces in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack has “completely exposed” the fact that terrorism in India is sponsored by Pakistan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday.
Shah also said that the operation showed the “firm” political will of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the “precise” intelligence inputs from agencies, and the “lethal” capabilities of the armed forces.
India hit as deep as ‘100-km’ inside Pakistan after they dared to target a few Indian civilian and military setups following Operation Sindoor (on May 7), when nine terrorist camps were decimated, he said.
Shah made the remarks while delivering the annual Rustamji Memorial Lecture organised by the Border Security Force (BSF) alongside its 22nd investiture ceremony.
Raised in 1965, the BSF guards the over 6,000-km-long Indian borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. K F Rustamji was the founding chief of the BSF.
“The terrorists undertook an extreme attack in Pahalgam as they selectively chose innocents, asked their religion and killed them brutally in front of their families, including women and children,” Shah said, adding that this “sin” was committed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
“India’s response under Operation Sindoor was different,” he said.
Nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were “destroyed” within a few minutes, out of which two were the headquarters of terror outfits, Shah said.
We did not attack their military installations or air bases. We only hit the terrorist bases in Pakistan. Those who committed a criminal act on our land — the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba — their bases, houses, training camps and launchpads used against India were destroyed,” Shah said.
The home minister added, “We thought it was enough that we hit the terrorists but Pakistan proved that it was sponsoring terrorism, as they took the Indian strikes as an attack on themselves and targeted civilian locations and military bases in India.” But the Indian air defence displayed “marvellous strength” as Pakistan could not touch any of India’s installations, Shah said.
“After this, we hit their air bases and gave a strong response by introducing them to our fire power and exposing their hollow air defence,” he said.
“We did not hit (Pakistan’s) civilian installations. Operation Sindoor and the incidents that followed completely exposed the fact that Pakistan is sponsoring terrorism in India because it was the Pakistan Army that replied after we hit their terror bases,” Shah said.
The home minister said Operation Sindoor “exposed” this fact as top Pakistan Army officers were seen offering namaz and shouldering the coffins of the terrorists who were killed.
The operation was successful as it used the correct firepower and achieved its aims besides “showing the reality” to Pakistan, Shah said.
The home minister also said that global experts and the world were “praising” the bravery and firepower of the Indian armed forces.
The operation also brought to the fore the fact that the ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) achieved by India in defence production was successful, he said.
Lauding the BSF for carrying out its duties during the operation, Shah said the force “proved its mettle” by not allowing the Pakistani forces to move even an inch.
The home minister also paid condolences to the two BSF troopers who were killed during the operation along the International Border in Jammu.
Shah recalled that India has been facing Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for many decades but a “befitting reply was not given” until the Modi government came to power (in 2014).
“We were defensive… Our police force and BSF did their best to protect the people but a befitting reply was not given. After 2014, when Prime minister Modi took charge, the biggest attack took place in Uri (2016) where our jawans were burnt alive.
“We conducted a surgical strike (across the border) and hit the terrorists by entering their hideouts for the first time. We thought that terrorism will stop but it did not, and the Pulwama attack happened (in 2019),” Shah said.
The Modi government gave a “stronger” response than Uri as it demolished terror bases across the front, Shah said.
Lauding the BSF, Shah said, “The bravery shown by the BSF in the 1971 war that was imposed upon us, and the contributions made by the force (in the creation of Bangladesh) cannot be forgotten by India and neither should Bangladesh ever forget it.” The BSF played a “significant” role in the creation of Bangladesh and set an “exemplary” standard of bravery by standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the armed forces in fighting against injustice, Shah recalled.
The home minister said the 2.75 lakh personnel-strong BSF was working in some of the most difficult conditions marred by geographical challenges along the two borders (with Pakistan and Bangladesh).
“I want tell you that the Modi government is standing behind you like a rock and the Ministry of Home Affairs will soon implement some technology solutions and models to strengthen border security in areas where it is not possible to erect fences,” Shah said.
The home minister also awarded gallantry and other service medals to BSF personnel during the event, which was attained by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Kumar Deka, and BSF Director General Daljit Singh Chawdhary. (PTI)
