Op Sindoor most successful anti-terror strike in history of India: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (May 31) lauded Operation Sindoor saying that after the military strike on terror bases in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and mainland Pakistan, ‘sindoor' has become a symbol of valour.

He also warned Pakistan that India will respond with cannon balls to the bullets fired from across the LoC.

Addressing a rally in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, Modi also hailed Operation Sindoor as the biggest and most successful anti-terror operation in the country's history.

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Terrorists challenged women’s power

"Sindoor has now become a symbol of valour in the country...If you fire bullets, then rest assured that they will be answered with cannon balls," Modi said at the Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Mahila Sashaktikaran Maha Sammelan. He was addressing the gathering at an event held on the occasion of the legendary queen's 300th birth anniversary.

The Prime Minister also said that Pakistani terrorists, by attacking Indian culture and by trying to divide the Indian society, challenged the women's power of India which turned out to be fatal for them.

"In Pahalgam, terrorists not only shed the blood of Indians but also attacked our culture. They tried to divide our society and the biggest thing is that the terrorists have challenged the women's power in India," Modi said as quoted by PTI.

"This challenge has become the death knell for the terrorists and their handlers. Operation Sindoor is the biggest and most successful operation in the history of India against terrorists. While the Pakistan army could not even imagine, our army destroyed the terrorist hideouts," added the Prime Minister.

Also Read: Our forces destroyed Pak air bases within minutes: PM Modi in Bihar

Efforts to increase women MPs

Highlighting his government’s efforts in the field of women empowerment, the Prime Minister pointed out that there are 75 women MPs in the Parliament and efforts are on to increase the number.

“This is the spirit behind the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Women reservation in Parliament and state assemblies has been achieved now, which had remained pending for a long time," he said.

Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, also known as the Women's Reservation Bill, is a landmark legislation that aims to reserve one-third of the total seats in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.

"This means that the BJP government is empowering our sisters and daughters at every level and in every field," he said.

Also Read: As BJP threatens Pak-style action in Bengal, Mamata takes a ‘sindoor’ jibe at PM

India's daughters in national defence

The Prime Minister said the whole world was now witnessing the capability of India's daughters in national defence.

"Even for this, the government took many steps in the last decade. From school to the battlefield, the country today has unprecedented faith in the bravery of its daughters," he said.

The Prime Minister referred to the achievement of Lt Cdr Roopa A of the Indian Navy and her partner Lt Cdr Dilna K, who returned to Goa after successfully circumnavigating the globe in a sailing boat and said the two brave daughters of the Navy have completed a sea voyage of about 250 days.

"They circumnavigated the earth by travelling thousands of kilometres in a boat that runs not on a motor but on wind. Imagine staying at sea for 250 days," he added.

Lauds Ahilyabai Holkar

Modi said Ahilyabai Holkar was the guardian of India's heritage and protected the country's temples and pilgrimage sites when they were being attacked.

"Our government is working on the mantra of 'Nagrik Devo Bhava' (citizen is god), which was the philosophy of Ahilyabai Holkar," he added.

The Prime Minister’s remarks come within weeks after the BJP was left red-faced with Madhya Pradesh minister Vijay Shah’s offensive remarks against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi whom Shah referred to as “a sister of terrorists”, causing a furore across the country.

Colonel Qureshi came to the limelight during the government’s briefing on Operation Sindoor during which at least 100 terrorists were killed in Indian precision strikes.

(With agency inputs)