The operation came in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April, which killed 26 tourists.
Published May 12, 2025 | 6:13 PM ⚊ Updated May 12, 2025 | 6:13 PM
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Synopsis: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said that the armed forces, not political parties, deserve credit for the success of Operation Sindoor. The precision strikes, conducted on 7 May across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targeted infrastructure linked to terror groups while avoiding civilian and military installations.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday, 12 May, said credit for the success of Operation Sindoor should go to the armed forces, not to any political party.
“No political party can claim credit for this war. Announcing ceasefire was a serious matter, therefore the government should have called for an all-party meeting and special session of Parliament to discuss on it,” the veteran Congress leader said, responding to a question about Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders taking credit for the military strikes.
Asked about comparisons between the 1971 war and Operation Sindoor, he said: “It has been 54 years now and the circumstances are different today.”
Operation Sindoor was a series of precision strikes conducted by the Indian Armed Forces on 7 May, targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The operation came in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April, which killed 26 tourists.
The strikes reportedly hit camps linked to banned groups including Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen, with targets in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot, and Muzaffarabad.
The Ministry of Defence described the operation as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” avoiding Pakistani military and civilian sites to limit collateral damage.
Since the operation, the BJP and its leaders have publicly claimed credit for it.
Earlier, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor criticised the BJP’s official X account for highlighting the number of terror attacks that occurred during the UPA era, calling it a divisive move during a time of national unity.
“At a time when the nation stands united as Indians, this petty attempt to divide us politically is deplorable,” Tharoor wrote in a post.
“Our government has learned the futility of past approaches the hard way – after inviting Pakistan to participate in the investigation of the Pathankot blasts in 2016. It is only then that it took to the path of military action, carefully calibrated and maturely conducted. This advertisement is neither appropriate nor mature. Delete it, please, BJP India.”
At a press briefing on 12 May, Air Marshal AK Bharti said the military action was prompted by Pakistan’s alignment with terrorist groups.
“Pakistan, who stood with terror, faced our wrath,” he said.
“We reiterated that our fight was with terrorists and their support infrastructure and not with the Pakistan military. However, it is a pity that the Pakistan military chose to intervene and bat for the terrorists, which compelled us to respond in kind.”
Operation Sindoor began at 1.05am on 7 May and lasted 25 minutes.
The Indian strikes reportedly damaged several Pakistani sites, including locations in Rawalpindi near Islamabad.
