Month: May 2025

Noting that the country’s enemy will have a huge cost to pay if there is a terror attack in India, PM Modi on Thursday said Pakistan had resorted to terrorist action against India after partition in 1947 and that the terror it spread ahead of creation of Bangladesh and the rape and murders committed by its army there cannot be forgotten.

The Prime Minister, who was addressing a rally here, referred to the success of Operation Sindoor in which precision strikes were conducted on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK in response to Pahalgam terror attack.

“Now that I am standing on the sacred land of Sindoor Khela, it is only right that we speak about a new resolve against terrorism — Operation Sindoor. On April 22, the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam shook the nation. The pain and anger felt across West Bengal were deeply understood,” he said.

“I could feel your outrage. The terrorists dared to wipe off the sindoor from the foreheads of our sisters. But our brave soldiers made them realise the power of that sindoor. Pakistan, the country that nurtures terrorism, has nothing positive to offer to the world. Since its very inception, it has been a breeding ground for terror and violence. But India has changed. We no longer tolerate such cowardly acts. And Operation Sindoor is our firm answer,” he added.

PM Modi said Operation Sindoor has not ended. “We are the people of worship Shakti, Mahishasuramardini. From this land of Bengal, this is a declaration of 140 crore Indians that Operation Sindoor is not over yet,” he said.

“After the Pahalgam attack, India has now told the world that if there is a terrorist attack, the enemy will have to pay a heavy price for it,” he said.

PM Modi said India had carried out surgical strikes thrice inside Pakistan.

He said “terror and genocide are biggest expertise” of Pakistan Army.

“When there is a direct battle (against India), their defeat is certain, that is why Pakistan’s Army takes help from terrorists. It started attacking India after the partition in 1947. After a few years, the terror it spread in what is now Bangladesh, the way its army committed rape and murder in Bangladesh, no one can forget it,” he said.

Bangladesh emerged as a separate country in 1971 after the War of Liberation against Pakistan.

PM Modi said Pakistan, the country that nurtures terrorism, has nothing positive to offer to the world. “Since its very inception, it has been a breeding ground for terror and violence.”

Operation Sindoor was India’s decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Launched early on May 7, Operation Sindoor led to the death of over 100 terrorists. India also effectively repelled subsequent Pakistani aggression and pounded its airbases.

In his speech, PM Modi also launched a scathing attack on Mamata Banerjee government and said West Bengal needs freedom from “politics of violence, appeasement, riots and corruption” and that the people are looking towards “BJP’s development model”.

PM Modi took several jibes at the Trinamool Congress government, and said West Bengal is surrounded by many crises simultaneously.

“First is the crisis of violence and anarchy spreading in the society. Second is the unsafety of our mothers and sisters who are being subjected to heinous crimes. The third crisis is of the extreme despair and rampant unemployment spreading among the youth. The fourth crisis is of the continuously declining trust in the system. The fifth crisis is of the selfish politics of the ruling party, that steals the rights of the poor,” he said.

PM Modi said the youth and poor families suffer the worst consequences of corruption. He alleged that the education system of West Bengal is being ruined.

“We saw how corruption ruins everything in the teacher recruitment scam. The TMC government in their tenure destroyed the future and families of thousands of teachers and left their children helpless. The whole education system of West Bengal is being ruined. The absence of teachers has put the futures of lakhs of students at risk. The TMC leaders have committed such a huge sin. The limit is that even today these people are not ready to accept their mistake. Instead, they blame the courts,” he said.

PM Modi attacked the TMC government over violence in Murshidabad and Malda.

“Whatever happened in Murshidabad and Malda was an example of the government’s ruthlessness here… In the name of appeasement, hooliganism was given a free hand. Imagine the horrific situation when the people of a party running the government identify and burn people’s houses, and the police act as mere spectators. I ask the poor people of Bengal, is this how a government runs?… Here, the court has to intervene on every issue. Otherwise, nothing gets resolved. The people of Bengal do not trust the TMC government anymore… ‘Bengal mein machi cheekh pukaar, nahi chahiye nirmam sarkar’,” he added.

PM Modi accused TMC government of hostility towards the tribals, poor, Dalits, backward classes and women.

“The TMC government is stalling the development of the poor tribal communities… TMC doesn’t care about the tribal community’s respect. When the NDA government made a tribal woman a Presidential candidate for the first time, TMC was the first party to oppose that,” he said.

“Why is TMC being hostile towards the poor, Dalits, the backward classes, women, and tribals?… Unfortuantely, the people of West Bengal are not getting the benefits of the Ayushman scheme… The ruthless government didn’t let the people of West Bengal get Ayushman cards… Many poor people are not able to get permanent houses because of the TMC government, because their leaders are demanding cut and commission from the poor,” he added.

PM Modi accused the TMC of being interested only in playing politics.

“The West Bengal government was absent from the NITI Aayog Governing Council’s meeting in Delhi. TMC only wants to play politics 24 hours. They do not prioritise West Bengal’s development or the country’s progress. The Central Government policies that have been implemented here in West Bengal are not being fulfilled… The TMC government has stalled 16 major infrastructure projects in West Bengal,” he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of City Gas Distribution project in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar districts in Alipurduar at West Bengal. (ANI)

India implemented a new visa module for Afghan nationals on April 29, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday. Jaiswal said the new visa module will help to further strengthen people-to-people ties between India and Afghanistan.

While addressing a press briefing on Thursday, Jaiswal noted that the old visa module for Afghan nationals has been discontinued. He said that Afghan nationals can apply for Indian visas in six categories–medical, medical attendant, business, entry, student, and UN diplomatic. He asked those who are in India as per the old policy to get it converted as per the new policy.

When asked whether India has implemented a new visa module for Afghan nationals, the MEA spokesperson stated, “I would like to introduce you to the new visa module in place for Afghan nationals. This was, I think, put in place last month. The old visa module that we had, a program called E-Emergency Ex-Miscelleanous Visa, has been discontinued, and we have a new visa model for Afghan nationals, which came into effect on 29th April, so last month, 29th April.”

India has recently resumed issuing visas to Afghan nationals after a four-year hiatus, following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021. This move allows Afghan nationals to apply for various visa categories, including student, business, medical, medical attendant, entry, and UN diplomat visas.

“All Afghan nationals can now apply for an Indian visa in six categories: medical visa, medical attendant visa, business visa, entry visa, student visa, and UN diplomatic visa. Afghan nationals who are in India on visas that were issued as per the old policy will have to now get it converted as per the new policy. They will have to approach the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) here in Delhi or any other part of India, as the case may be. The new visa module will help strengthen India-Afghanistan people-to-people ties further,” he added.

India had previously suspended visa services to Afghan nationals after the Taliban seized power, with concerns over the safety of Indian officials in Kabul. However, India has now re-established its diplomatic presence in Kabul and is actively engaging with the Taliban administration.

The decision follows growing diplomatic engagement between India and Afghanistan. Earlier on May 15, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between India and Afghanistan.

Jaishankar also expressed his appreciation for Muttaqi’s strong condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. He also welcomed the Afghan minister’s “firm rejection” of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports.

In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, “Good conversation with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi this evening. Deeply appreciate his condemnation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.”The post added, “Welcomed his firm rejection of recent attempts to create distrust between India and Afghanistan through false and baseless reports. Underlined our traditional friendship with the Afghan people and our continuing support for their development needs. Discussed ways and means of taking cooperation forward.”

Both leaders also emphasised the importance of enhancing economic ties, with particular focus on developing the Chabahar Port, facilitating visas for Afghan traders and patients, and addressing the issue of Afghan prisoners in India.

Sharing a post on X, the Consulate General of Afghanistan in Mumbai wrote, “The Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, held a telephonic conversation with Dr. S. Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister of India. During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on enhancing bilateral relations, promoting trade, and advancing diplomatic engagement.”

“FM Muttaqi referred to India as a key regional country and highlighted the historic nature of Afghanistan-India relations, expressing optimism that these ties will grow stronger. He also reiterated Afghanistan’s commitment to a balanced foreign policy and the pursuit of constructive relations with all nations. In the conversation, FM Muttaqi requested facilitation in issuing visas for Afghan traders and patients, and called for the release and return of Afghan prisoners currently held in India,” the post added.

The post further said, “EAM Dr Jaishankar echoed the view that India shares historic ties with Afghanistan and reaffirmed India’s intention to continue its cooperation with the country. He underlined the importance of collaboration in political and economic spheres. Dr. Jaishankar also assured prompt attention to the issue of Afghan prisoners and pledged to streamline the visa process. Additionally, both sides emphasised the development of the Chabahar Port.” (ANI)

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday informed the Saudi officials that Pakistan is propagating terrorism and targeting Indian citizens, and urged them to bring Pakistan back to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List to curb terror financing.

He is part of a multi-party delegation led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Baijayant Panda under Operation Sindoor outreach to convey India’s unified stance against terrorism and seek international support to hold Pakistan accountable.

During his visit, Owaisi interacted with Saudi officials and highlighted Pakistan’s false propaganda about India. He said that the delegation apprised officials as well as the diaspora members from India about the terrorism propagated by Pakistan against Indian citizens.

“27 lakh members of the Indian diaspora reside and work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia…Whoever the delegation met, we told them how Pakistan is propagating terrorism and how Indian citizens are targeted. We told them that Pakistan should be brought back to the FATF Grey List. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a member of the FATF. They helped us in 2018,” Owaisi told ANI.

He emphasised that India is home to over 14.5 crore proud Muslims, showcasing the country’s rich Islamic heritage and esteemed scholars, thereby refuting Pakistan’s claims of representing all Muslims.

Owaisi said that the multi-party delegation met with Abdullah ibn Muhammad, head of Saudi Arabia’s Shura Council, and Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Regarding concerns raised over the issue of talks between India and Pakistan, he added that talks were held after the Mumbai terror attack and Pathankot. Still, they yielded no results and only losses.

“It was a good meeting. They, too, had some concerns. They asked us what could be done about the talks. We told them we talked after 26/11, after Pathankot, but it yielded no result. Instead, we suffered a loss. So, all in all, we presented all of this before them. We told them about Pakistan’s propaganda – we told them that around 14.5 crore Muslims live in India. And what they (Pakistan) say is absolutely wrong,” Owaisi said.

Owaisi pointed out that despite receiving significant financial aid from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan’s economy is not stabilising, and the funds are not being utilised for the welfare of the poor. Specifically, he mentioned that Saudi Arabia provided $2 billion in aid to Pakistan last year and a $3 billion loan in 2024.

He compared Pakistan’s defense budget, which is 2.6% of its GDP, to India’s 1.9%, highlighting the disparity in military spending between the two nations.

Owaisi discussed the recent Pahalgam terror attack and assured the Saudi officials that India is working to resolve such issues, while also exposing Pakistan’s alleged role in promoting terrorism.

“We told them that Saudi Arabia gave Pakistan 2 billion USD in aid last year. In 2024, Saudi Arabia gave them a loan of 3 billion USD. We told them Pakistan’s economy is not stabilising, and the money is not being used for the poor. We told them that Pakistan’s defence budget is 2.6% of its GDP, whereas India’s is 1.9%. The Ulemas in Pakistan are no match for the Ulemas in India…We told them how work is being done in India, how Ulemas are working there, and how Pakistani propaganda is a lie. What they did in Pahalgam, we said that there are problems in our country as well, but we are trying to resolve this,” Owaisi said.

In a strong demonstration of India’s united political front against terrorism, an all-party parliamentary delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday to strengthen diplomatic ties and explore avenues of cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia.

Maj Gen Abdulrahman Alharbi, Chair of the India-Saudi Arabia Council Friendship Committee of the Shura Council, warmly welcomed the delegation.

This multi-party delegation includes BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma, Satnam Singh Sandhu, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and former diplomat Harsh Shringla.

The multi-party delegations, consisting of seven groups led by one MP each, have been initiated to counter Pakistan’s misinformation on terrorism and highlight India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. (ANI)

Director Anurag Basu admitted missing late actor Irrfan Khan and shared how actress Konkana Sen Sharma started crying while filming ‘Metro…In Dino’ as she missed her co-star and friend Irrfan Khan.

At the ‘Zamaana Lage’ song of ‘Metro..In Dino’ launch event, Anurag Basu was joined by the cast of ‘Life In a Metro’ sequel, which also starred Irrfan Khan in the lead role.

In the first instalment, Konkana Sen was paired with Irrfan Khan, the couple which finally gets a happy ending in the movie.

From the original cast, Konkana is the only actor who is returning in its sequel. It was hard for the actress to work in the movie again after her dear friend and co-star Irrfan Khan passed away in 2020.

While remembering the late actor, Anurag Basu shared that Konkana Sharma started crying during the shoot of a scene in the movie (Metro…In Dino) as the tone of it was a “little similar” to a scene from the first instalment.

He also remembered singer KK at the event as the singer sang two of the most famous tracks from the prequel’s album: ‘Alvida’ and ‘O Meri Jaan’.

“We were shooting a scene, and the tone for it was a little similar to a scene from the first film. Suddenly, Konkona started crying, and even right now, I am worried that the same will happen if someone asks a question about him. We miss him; we miss KK very much, and there are many others who are missing now, with whom we collaborated earlier,” said Anurag Basu at the Metro In Dino promotional event in Mumbai.

After ‘Life in a… Metro” and ‘Ludo’, ‘Metro…In Dino’ is the final chapter of Anurag Basu’s trilogy of hyperlinked cinema.

Backed by producer Bhushan Kumar, the film introduces a world of modern love and relationships.

The song is composed by Pritam and brings back the creative collaboration between him and director Anurag Basu, known for crafting memorable musical narratives.

The sequel features an impressive cast which includes Anupam Kher, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ali Fazal, Neena Gupta and Saswata Chatterjee.

The film is set to release on July 4, 2025. (ANI)

India is expected to see the timely start to kharif sowing, supported by the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) improved rainfall forecast, according to a recent report by ICRA.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) raised its rainfall forecast to 106 per cent +/- 4 per cent of the long period average (LPA), up from the initial forecast of 105 per cent +/- 5 per cent of LPA.

This augurs well for the sowing of kharif crops, although an even temporal and spatial distribution is paramount to ensure a favourable increase in crop yields.” ICRA said.

“While this would help to replenish reservoir levels, it could prove adverse for standing crops if there is excessive rainfall concentrated during short periods of time.”

ICRA currently estimates the agri-GVA growth at 3.5-4.0 per cent in FY2026, following a projected 4.6 per cent expansion in FY2025.

The government has increased the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for kharif crops for the 2025-26 marketing season, with increases ranging from 1.0 per cent to 13.9 per cent.

According to the report, “Amid increased output of most rabi crops as per FY2025 SAE, the aggregate farm cash flows from the rabi harvest is expected to remain robust. This trend is likely to continue in the upcoming kharif season, given the favourable monsoon outlook.”

IMD predicts the overall monsoon to be strong, the spatial distribution will be uneven. South Peninsula and Central India are likely to receive above-normal rainfall, while North-west India is expected to have normal rainfall, and North-east India may experience below-normal rainfall. However, the crucial rain-fed core Monsoon Zone is projected to receive above-normal rainfall.

Despite the positive outlook for most of the country, some parts of the peninsular, North-west, and North-east India may still see below-normal precipitation in June.

The report also highlighted the sectoral impacts of the monsoon. Sectors such as cement, tractors, two-wheelers, edible oils, and sugar are expected to benefit from the above-normal monsoon due to their dependence on agricultural output and rural incomes. Conversely, sectors like power and room air conditioners may see reduced demand growth with higher-than-normal rainfall.

An above-normal monsoon is likely to boost rural demand, which constitutes a significant portion of the overall two-wheeler market.

Two-wheeler domestic volumes had fallen to decadal lows in FY2022 due to Covid-19-led disruptions, fuel inflation and high commodity prices impacting affordability. Rural demand for the two-wheeler industry has improved over the recent past, and its recovery remains key for the industry’s prospects. (ANI)

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining silent on the US President Donald Trump Administration Defending Tariffs In a US Court.

He accused Prime Minister Modi of ignoring the matter because he preferred praise over critical discussions about economic policies.

“Our Prime Minister does not want to hear about tariffs; our Prime Minister only wants to hear ‘Tareef’ (praise). So, the PM is silent on this. The Prime Minister has not said anything,” he added.

Ramesh said that Trump had claimed credit for the ceasefire on multiple international platforms, but the Indian leadership chose to stay quiet.

“President Trump has said 8 times in 11 days in 3 countries, America, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, that this ceasefire has happened because of me, and I have used tariffs and told both the countries that if you get the ceasefire done, then international trade will increase,” Ramesh stated.

Ramesh also questioned the silence of India’s top leadership, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

“Our foreign minister is silent on this, our Prime Minister is completely silent,” he said.

The Congress leader expressed strong objection to Trump’s remark that India and Pakistan had been placed “in the same boat.”

“He has clearly said that I have put India and Pakistan in the same boat. India’s economy has increased 10 times in comparison to Pakistan’s economy but both of them have come in the same boat. How can this happen?” Ramesh asked.

Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not responding to repeated calls for an all-party meeting and a special Parliament session on the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

He accused the Prime Minister of ignoring urgent national issues and instead focusing on marking the 50th anniversary of the Emergency.

“It is being heard that a special session can be called on 25th and 26th June because it is the 50th anniversary of the Emergency. Undeclared Emergency has been in force in our country since 2014. He wants to call a special session for what happened 50 years ago? To divert attention from today’s questions, they are talking about it. We will also expose the role of RSS, we will put the reality in front of the whole country…These terrorists of Pahalgam were involved in four attacks, and still they are roaming around here and there. Our MPs are roaming, and terrorists are also roaming. We are asking these questions seriously. They do not answer these questions. The BJP only targets the Congress party. Their attack is on the Congress party; it should be on the terrorists. Action should be taken against Pakistan. The terrorists should be arrested. The missiles that are being launched every day are being launched against the Congress party,” Ramesh said.

“We demanded that there should be an all-party meeting and the Prime Minister should preside over it. Two meetings have been held. It was a formality. The Defence Minister chaired it. Nothing came out of it; no discussion took place. The questions we asked were asked in a constructive, serious, and sensitive manner, but there was no response to that. The atmosphere was one of unity and cohesion. On May 10, both Kharge ji and Rahul ji wrote to the Prime Minister asking him to call a special session of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Why should it be called? So that we can repeat the special resolution that was passed unanimously on February 22, 1994, regarding PoK, regarding the issue of terrorism. In the last 30 years, both countries have become nuclear countries and more than that, the role of China has become deep in Pakistan; it is also a challenge for us. So there should be a debate on this. And a resolution should be passed unanimously, so that the message of a collective resolution is given to the world. He is silent on this, too,” he added. (ANI)

Congress leader Pawan Khera has stirred controversy by sharing an excerpt from Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s 2018 book, The Paradoxical Prime Minister, highlighting Tharoor’s criticism of the “shameless exploitation” of the 2016 surgical strikes as an election tool by the BJP.

I agree with that Dr @ShashiTharoor who wrote about surgical strikes in his book in 2018 – ‘The Paradoxical Prime Minister’. #ReadingNow pic.twitter.com/hAhsfwH0JT

— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) May 29, 2025

Khera’s post on X, captioned, “I agree with that Dr @ShashiTharoor who wrote about surgical strikes in his book in 2018 – ‘The Paradoxical Prime Minister’,” appears to subtly critique Tharoor’s recent remarks praising the Modi government’s Operation Sindoor.

In the underlined passage from Tharoor’s book, reads, “The shameless exploitation of the 2016 surgical strikes along the Line of Control with Pakistan, and a military raid in hot pursuit of rebels in Myanmar, as party election tool–something the Congress had never done despite having authorized several such strikes earlier–marked a particularly disgraceful dilution of the principle that national security issues require both discretion and non-partisanship.”

Khera’s post comes in the wake of Tharoor’s statements in Panama, where he lauded India’s counter-terrorism measures, including the 2016 Uri surgical strike and the 2019 Balakot airstrike, as marking a shift in India’s approach to terrorism.

In a post on X, Tharoor clarified and pointed out that he spoke only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars.

“After a long and successful day in Panama, I have to wind up at midnight where with departure for Bogota, Colombia in six hours, so I don’t really have time for this — but anyway: For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC in the past, I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars,” he said.

“My remarks were preceded by a reference to the several attacks that have taken place in recent years alone, during which previous Indian responses were both restrained and constrained by our responsible respect for the LoC and the IB,” Shashi Tharoor clarified.

Recently, Udit Raj criticised Tharoor over his statement in Panama as part of the multi-party delegation and called him a “spokesperson for the publicity stunts of the BJP”.

Afterwards, Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh also endorsed Udit Raj’s criticism, signalling that all is not well within the party.

Tharoor, part of an all-party delegation, had stated that India crossed the Line of Control for the first time in September 2015 under the current government.

Tharoor, who is leading the all-party delegation to the United States, Guyana, Panama and other nations, was not among the official choices suggested by the Congress to the government for the outreach delegations. (ANI)

TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, who is part of the all-party delegation, led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, called out Pakistan for supporting and nurturing terrorists to destabilise growing economies. He mentioned about involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in the 9/11 attacks, 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and 2006 Bombay train bombings and said that “if terrorism is a rabid dog, Pakistan is the vile handler.”

While addressing a press conference in Jakarta, he stated that India waited for two weeks before launching Operation Sindoor to see whether Pakistan would act against terrorists or not. He also recalled how India allowed Pakistani officials to visit the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot to investigate the Pathankot terror attack.

Banerjee said, “They (Pakistan) are the ones who have been nurturing terrorists in their backyard to destabilise growing economies. All of you are acquainted with the fact that India has surpassed Japan and grown to be the fourth-largest economy in the world. We are at number four now, and very soon we will be at number three. So it’s a prime, I would say, example of cutting one’s nose to spite one’s face. We go down, we pull you down. Pakistan is facing a crisis in their economy, trying to address issues in its land, in their own country, and India is growing, developing rapidly, and we have been collaborating with various countries. We consider each one of you as our strategic partners, as our friendly nations.”

“We share a common goal, a joint goal towards peace, prosperity, and we consider each one of you not only as our strategic partners, but also as one of our moral allies. We want you to stand for what is correct. We want this to be raised in the important multilateral platforms like FATF, UN, ASEAN, and if you look at the net and if you read the circulation that has been published worldwide in the last fortnight, you know India never slid back immediately,” he added.

Elaborating on how India launched Operation Sindoor, he said, “The attack happened on the 22nd of April. Did we strike on the 23rd? No. Did we strike on the 24th? No. Did we strike on the 26th? No. 28th? No 30th? No 1st? No. We waited for two weeks, 14 days we waited with the hope that the Pakistan government would do something to bring the popular leaders to book and do justice to the enemies. Either you do justice to the enemies, or your enemies need to be acquainted with justice, but justice needs to be done. We waited for two weeks, and then eventually India carried out this airstrike. So, these airstrikes were so precise, non-escalatory, and responsible, and these airstrikes only ended up neutralising and demolishing nine terror infrastructures. We neutralised the terror infrastructure without endangering a single civilian life, that is, India. We are firm in resolve, yet honourable in action.”

He called out Pakistani generals for attending the funerals of terrorists. He mentioned about presence of terrorists in Pakistan, including Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, who was killed by the US forces in Abbottabad.

He said, “I mean, then in the next 24 hours, there were images surfacing from the land of Pakistan that shook the world. There were images of Pakistani or Pakistani high-ranking military generals and the army, and these are not mere pawns, or these are not some small-time officials. They are military generals. Pakistani army generals were seen attending the funeral of terrorists, these pictures are widely reported it’s for everyone to see. You know when the 9/11 terror attack was, when the 9/11 terror attack happened, who was the prime accused? Osama bin Laden. Where was he found? He was found in a place called Abbottabad. Where is Abbottabad? Abbottabad is again in Pakistan.”

“You talk about the 2006 Bombay train bombings. You talk about the 2008 Mumbai attacks, you talk about the 1993 Mumbai blasts, where a series of blasts were conducted. In every terror attack, there was a hand of Pakistan. Where was Ajmal Kasab, who is the prime accused of the 2008 terror attack, from? He was caught red-handed by the Indian law enforcement agencies in Mumbai. There were four years during which he was given a fair trial. He confessed to the law enforcement agencies. He confessed before the trial court, before the judiciary that he was raised, he was born, he was brought up, was nurtured, and he was trained in Pakistan and India ended up destroying that very same terror camp where Ajmal Kasab was raised and trained. We want the world to stand by us in combating terrorism. It’s our joint duty.”

Calling out Pakistan for supporting terrorists, he said, “You talk about Hafiz Saeed, talk about Tahawwur Rana, any terrorist you name, Pakistan is safeguarding them, nurturing them, protecting them. Why? I mean it’s like nurturing a snake in your backyard expecting it to bite your neighbour. But, we don’t realise when the snake will be unleashed or unchained, it can end up biting anyone. It meets on the way. I have said this time and again, and I will put it again in a different analogy. If terrorism is a rabid dog, Pakistan is a vile handler. Pakistan will end up raising, breeding more rabid dogs till it starts a lesson in the language it understands, and we are not talking about violence here.”

Noting that West thinks that India has not initiated a dialogue, he said that India has been talking with Pakistan for the past 50 years, and everything has changed in India, like governments, presidents, prime ministers, however, the conflict continues with Pakistan.

“People in the West think that we have not started or initiated a dialogue with Pakistan. We have been talking with them for the last 50 years, you know, the government has changed in India, and a lot of things have changed. There have been paradigm shifts in everything. Prime Ministers have come and gone. The government has changed. The President of the country has changed. But one thing that will remain constant is the conflict with Pakistan. They will not change, and we expect all of you to stand by us in combating terrorism. Our stand has been very clear from day one. You fire, we fire. You stop, we stop. We don’t want violence,” he said.

He said that India has not initiated a war and has been engaging in dialogue with Pakistan for the past 50 years. He recalled how India allowed Pakistani officials to come to India for a joint investigation following the Pathankot terror attack and gave them proof of all data, digital evidence.

He said, “In the last 50 years, there have been so many incidents of violence, and I want to request all of you that India will never want to wage or start a war. We’re the last ones to talk about war. We have been engaging in a dialogue with them. In 2016, there were attacks in Pathankot and Uri. It’s again a place in Kashmir. Pakistan wanted to start a joint investigation. We honoured that commitment. But when you give or honour that commitment of a joint investigation with Pakistan, we give them enough proof of call data, records of the terrorist, voice sample, and digital evidence. But, it’s like giving a thief the privilege to investigate a robbery which he only has committed,” he added.

Urging Indonesia to stand by India in the fight against terrorism, he said, “I would leave it to that and I would request every one of you to stand by us as strategic partners in combating terrorism and curtailing terrorism so that we can put an end to this menace once and for all.”

During the same press conference, former Indian Ambassador Mohan Kumar called out Pakistan for claiming to have won wars against India despite facing defeat. He even recalled Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir’s statement before the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

“As far as we are concerned, we want to maintain peace. The Director General, Military Operations of both sides are in touch, and that conversation will continue. But if you want to work with us, kindly provide us proof that you are done with terrorism, and that is something we haven’t been able to verify. If there is verifiable action by Pakistan that cross-border terrorism will cease, we’re happy to do whatever it takes to have good relations with them because I just want all of you, I think the …diplomatic will understand, for India, Pakistan has to be a side show,” he said.

“We want to be the fourth largest, hopefully the third largest want to lift people out of poverty, hopefully be a five trillion ten trillion economy and make the transition from balancing power to leading power. This is not our main objective. But if you read the army chief’s statement a week before the attacks, he makes it very clear that Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. You can see where he’s coming from; the raison d’etre for Pakistan’s army is enmity with India, otherwise they lose all clout. The Pakistan army was extremely unpopular, including the chief, for putting Imran Khan in jail, etc., etc., just before the conflict. Right now, he’s the most popular guy in the world. Why? Because he’s rallied the whole nation around India, the news is blacked out, they say we won. In 1971, too, Pakistan said it won. So there is a history of, you know, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat or whatever you want to call it,” he added.

Mohan Kumar said that India’s message against terrorism will resonate with Indonesia. According to him, India’s right to defend itself against terrorism was appreciated and endorsed by Indonesia.He said, “I think you have to see it in this context. Why Indonesia? We think India is a mirror image of Indonesia. In many ways, we look up to Indonesia. It’s a great country with plurality, all religions. It’s the largest Muslim country. We are the second largest. We think our message will resonate with Indonesia. I will allow the honourable members of parliament to tell you how the conversation went, but from my perspective, there was strong condemnation of terrorism, …sympathy expressed with the victims and with India, and I think India’s right to defend itself against terrorism was appreciated and endorsed.”

The delegation, led by JD-U MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, includes Aparajita Sarangi (BJP), TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, Brij Lala (BJP), John Brittas (CPI-M), Pradan Baruah (BJP), Hemang Joshi (BJP), Salman Khurshid (Congress) and former Ambassador Mohan Kumar.

The delegation is visiting many countries as part of India’s global outreach against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. The delegation has so far visited Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. (ANI)

A notorious criminal, wanted in several cases and an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was killed in a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force and the Delhi Police Special Cell.

According to the officials, the criminal has been identified as Naveen Kumar, a resident of Loni, Ghaziabad who was hospitalised after getting injured during an encounter in the Thana Kotwali area, Hapur on Wednesday night.

Kumar was wanted in a murder and MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) case of Thana Farsh Bazar in Delhi. The wanted accused Naveen was an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and is a sharpshooter, the officials said.

As per the officials, twenty cases, including murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, robbery and MCOCA, were registered against him in Delhi and UP, and he had been sentenced by the court in two cases in Delhi.

Earlier on May 28, in a similar case in Uttar Pradesh, wanted criminal Bhupendra Gwalah got injured in an encounter with Jhansi Police. He was shot at by police in an attempt to capture him.

Superintendent of Police (SP) of Rural Jhansi, Arvind Kumar, said, “He (criminal) was spotted on a motorcycle when the Moth police were conducting a check. As he saw the police, he fired at the police and ran towards the jungle.”

The police have recovered the stolen battery, a suspicious motorcycle without a number plate and a pistol along with cartridges from him. SP Kumar informed the media that the criminal had a Rs 25,000 award against him. (ANI)