Pakistan exposed itself as 'terror sponsor' by responding to Operation Sindoor: Amit Shah

Shah said 'Operation Sindoor' 'exposed' this fact as top Pakistan Army officers were seen offering namaz and shouldering the coffins of the terrorists who were killed.

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said by responding to the strikes under 'Operation Sindoor' on its terror infrastructure, Pakistan has exposed itself as the sponsor of cross-border terrorism in India.

Delivering the Rustamji Memorial Lecture organised by the BSF on its 22nd investiture ceremony, Shah said "appropriate response" was not given to Pakistan so far even as it struck terror in the country while security forces kept people in the country safe.

"We targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan. We did not target civilians or their military infrastructure. Pakistan responded to our attack on terrorist infrastructure by taking it as an attack on them...Due to Operation Sindoor, Pakistan stands exposed as the sponsor of terrorism (into India)....When we attacked terrorist camps, the response was from Pakistan," Shah said.

He said 'Operation Sindoor' "exposed" this fact as top Pakistan Army officers were seen offering namaz and shouldering the coffins of the terrorists who were killed.

"They dared to target our civilians but couldn’t succeed in front of our air defence system. In response, we targeted their air base and introduced our striking capability to them," he said.

In 2014, he said, the BJP government was formed and soon after there was an attack on the soldiers in Uri and India responded with a surgical strike.

"After that, the Pulwama attack happened. In reply to which, we did an air strike. Now, in Pahalgam, innocent tourists were killed after asking about their religion. Operation Sindoor was the reply to it. The world is appreciating us for this. I salute the Army,” he said.

He said 'Operation Sindoor' was a remarkable demonstration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "firm political will, precise intelligence inputs from agencies, and the lethal capabilities" of the forces.

Shah said while responses to terrorist attacks have been given in many parts of the world, the response India has given is unique. After launching Operation Sindoor, he said forces destroyed nine terrorist bases, two of which were headquarters of terrorist organisations, within minutes.

He also said India hit as deep as 100-km inside Pakistan after they targeted civilian and military targets.

"The terrorists undertook an extreme attack in Pahalgam as they selectively chose innocents, asked their religion and killed them brutally in front of their families, including women and children," he added.