Amit Shah Hails Operation Sindoor as Decisive Blow Against Terror, Slams Opposition

Shri Amit Shah briefed Parliament that the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 26 civilians (25 Indian, 1 Nepali), prompted an unprecedented retaliation—both militarily and diplomatically.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah delivered a powerful address in the Lok Sabha today, detailing the government’s swift and strategic response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, which together dismantled the terror network behind the April 22 massacre.

The discussion, titled “India’s Counter-Terror Triumph: Operation Sindoor”, commemorated the success of Indian armed and intelligence forces in eliminating the perpetrators and their masterminds, while Shah used the platform to deliver a scathing critique of the opposition’s historical failures in tackling terrorism.

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Operation Sindoor and Mahadev: India’s Twin Response to Terror

Shri Amit Shah briefed Parliament that the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which killed 26 civilians (25 Indian, 1 Nepali), prompted an unprecedented retaliation—both militarily and diplomatically. The government launched Operation Sindoor, striking deep into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), destroying nine terrorist hideouts and eliminating at least 125 terrorists, some of whom were high-ranking operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Simultaneously, Indian agencies initiated Operation Mahadev, a joint counter-terror mission involving the Army’s 4 Para unit, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police. On July 28, three “A” category LeT terrorists—Suleman, Hamza Afghani, and Zibran—were killed in Dachigam, Kashmir. These operatives were confirmed to have been involved in Pahalgam and Gagangir attacks.

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From Intelligence to Execution: India’s Precision Strategy

Shah outlined the meticulous planning and intelligence coordination that began as early as April 23, a day after the Pahalgam attack. Inputs from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), backed by sophisticated sensor technology, tracked the movement of the suspects in the mountainous Dachigam area for over two months.

On July 22, Indian forces launched the final assault based on confirmed sensor signals. Within 48 hours, all three perpetrators were neutralized. Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) tests on recovered weapons matched them with shells found at the Pahalgam site, confirming their involvement.

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NIA, Arrests, and Confessions: Closing the Loop

Shah praised the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for its prompt and scientific handling of the case. The NIA arrested Bashir and Parvez, who provided shelter to the terrorists. Interrogations of over 1,055 individuals, spanning more than 3,000 hours, helped identify the attackers. These efforts were corroborated by visual identification and ballistic forensics, sealing the case.

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India’s Decisive International Response

The Home Minister disclosed that Prime Minister Modi’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) took several diplomatic steps:

• Suspended the Indus Water Treaty

• Shut down the Attari Integrated Check Post

• Revoked SAARC visas of all Pakistani nationals

• Expelled 25 military and diplomatic personnel from Pakistan’s High Commission

Following this, India carried out precision strikes 100 km inside Pakistan, avoiding civilian casualties. These strikes led to the elimination of several globally wanted terrorists. In retaliation, Pakistan attacked Indian civilian areas, including religious sites, to which the Indian Air Force (IAF) responded on May 9 by damaging 11 Pakistani airbases and destroying their air defense systems.

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Exposing Pakistan’s Role and Opposition’s Silence

Shah sharply criticized opposition leaders for demanding proof of Pakistan’s involvement, revealing that two of the three terrorists carried Pakistani voter IDs, Pakistani-made chocolates were found on them, and their funerals were attended by Pakistani military officials.

He accused the former Home Minister of trying to exonerate Pakistan on the global stage and warned that such statements undermined national unity and diplomatic leverage.

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Historical Critique: From Nehru to Congress-era Failures

Shah revisited historical moments where, in his view, Congress-led governments failed to act decisively:

• 1948: Nehru’s ceasefire allowed Pakistan to retain PoK

• 1960: Indus Water Treaty gave away 80% of India’s water

• 1966 & 1971: India returned strategic land and prisoners of war without reclaiming PoK

• 2005-2011: 27 major terrorist attacks killed nearly 1,000 Indians, with no strong retaliation

He contrasted this with the Modi government’s record of direct military retaliation after Uri (2016), Pulwama (2019), and now Pahalgam (2025).

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Impact of Article 370 Abrogation: A Safer Kashmir

Shri Amit Shah credited the abrogation of Article 370 for the sharp decline in terrorism:

Metric	2004–2014 (UPA)	2015–2025 (NDA)	Change
Terror incidents	7,217	2,150	↓ 70%
Civilian deaths	1,770	357	↓ 80%
Security personnel deaths	1,060	542	↓ 49%
Terrorist deaths	–	↑ 123%	Significant ↑

Other major reforms:

• Zero tolerance policy: Terrorist funerals banned, terrorist sympathizers jailed or dismissed from government jobs.

• UAPA enforcement: Over 2,260 cases, 374 properties confiscated

• Stone pelting: Dropped from hundreds of cases annually to near zero

• Valley shutdowns: From 132 days/year to none in the last 3 years

• Hurriyat crackdown: Entire leadership jailed; no talks planned with separatist outfits.

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Future Outlook: Security, Accountability, and Patriotism

Shah reaffirmed that India will strike first and hard against any terror threat. He condemned the opposition for opposing POTA and questioned their motives in repealing anti-terror laws. He cited the list of fugitives like Dawood Ibrahim, Syed Salauddin, and others who fled under Congress regimes, demanding answers from the Leader of the Opposition.

He concluded that under PM Narendra Modi, India has transitioned from a reactive state to a proactive power, where self-defense includes calculated retaliation, and terrorists and their masters face absolute consequences.