Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday took a firm stance in the Lok Sabha during the debate on Operation Sindoor, urging the Opposition not to get distracted by minor matters when the country is striving for greater achievements in national security.
Addressing the House, Singh said that when the aim is to achieve higher goals, attention should not be diverted to smaller issues, as this could undermine the seriousness of national security concerns. He criticised the line of questioning often raised by the Opposition, stating that asking how many Indian planes were lost does not reflect the true national sentiment. Instead, he questioned why the Opposition never asked how many enemy planes were destroyed by Indian forces.
Singh reminded the House that it is the duty of the ruling side to act in the interest of the people and the responsibility of the Opposition to raise questions on public concerns. However, he noted that some questions raised in the past failed to align with national sentiment, particularly when they focused solely on Indian losses while ignoring the damage inflicted on the enemy.
He asserted that during Operation Sindoor, India successfully destroyed terrorist camps inside Pakistan and eliminated those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack. He added that the masters of the terrorists were also neutralised in the operation.
Singh suggested that the Opposition should be asking whether India destroyed the terrorist camps, to which he said the answer was yes. He further said that if the question was whether any Indian soldiers were harmed in the operation, the answer again was no. He also said that if the question was whether the terrorists who desecrated the dignity of Indian women had been dealt with, the answer was that they were eliminated by Indian forces along with their masters.
Initiating the long-anticipated discussion on Operation Sindoor, Singh described the military strike as historic and extended gratitude on behalf of the Parliament to the Indian soldiers who are always prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for the nation. He said the operation was a decisive and effective reflection of India’s counter-terrorism policy.
Yesterday, the Lok Sabha witnessed repeated disruptions and was adjourned three times until 2 PM, as Opposition MPs stormed the Well of the House, creating a ruckus before Singh’s address.
