Underlining India’s “new normal” in response to cross-border terrorism, the BJP and its allies on Monday threw their weight behind the replacement of “dialogue and cooperation” with “decisive action” as displayed under Operation Sindoor launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
During the debate on Monday, the NDA leaders listed instances of the Congress “surrendering” India’s national interest due to reasons ranging from “lack of courage” to “politics of appeasement” during its rule for decades.
“The India of today is not the India of 2008…this turnaround, this new normal is because of our changed policies. We must give full credit to our armed forces…in the past, Pakistan-sponsored terrorists were attacking India and killing Indians almost on a daily basis,” Kendrapara BJP MP Baijayant Panda said.
Citing terror incidents during the Congress-led UPA’s tenure, Panda listed various instances when India sought dialogue with Pakistan in the aftermath of such attacks. “What is most shameful is that retaliation was considered, it was planned by our armed forces but the then-government did not permit,” he said.
“We kept appeasing them… Putting no pressure on them to stop terror funding…Our approach in the past was only to cooperate… not to teach them a lesson,” he said.
Terming Operation Sindoor “strong, successful and decisive”, Narasaraopet TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu called it (Operation Sindoor) a befitting reply to the Pahalgam “slaughter”.
“More than violence, it was an assault on the soul of India…tourists were asked about their religion and shot dead in front of their children… wives… it is slaughter…,” Devarayalu said.
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“With Operation Sindoor, India has sent a very strong message… India will wait, but will never forget. This is not aggression, this is assertive deterrence,” he added, crediting PM Narendra Modi for moving from “reactive to resolute, from strategic silence to strategic sovereignty”.
Panchayati Raj Minister and Munger JDU MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh also attacked the Congress for not having done enough to counter terrorism when it was in power. “Between 2004 and 2014 during the UPA’s tenure, the terror attacks which took place claimed 615 lives…what action did you take…nothing happened,” Ranjan said, citing the 2008 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
Samastipur LSJP(PV) MP Shambhavi said: “…This is the new Bharat that does not light candles after a terrorist attack, it sets fire to their pyres. India wants peace but on its own terms.”
