New Delhi, May 19 – A fierce political confrontation erupted on Monday between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress over claims that India pre-informed Pakistan at the outset of Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
Congress Questions Government’s Intent
Addressing a press conference, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera reiterated concerns raised earlier by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alleging that External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar had confirmed in a statement that Islamabad was notified before the strikes commenced.
“If he (EAM Jaishankar) had not forewarned Pakistan, could terrorists like Azhar Masood and Hafiz Saeed have escaped?” Khera asked, suggesting that early notification compromised national security and allowed high-profile terrorists to evade action.
Khera also criticized the BJP, describing it as "sindoor ka saudagar", and accused the government of diminishing India’s international stature. “After the statement of EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar, we are being ridiculed in Pakistan and the whole world,” he said. “That is why Rahul Gandhi is repeatedly saying that you should answer what damage the country suffered from this forewarning you gave to Pakistan. It is very important for us to know how many planes of the country fell, what damage the country suffered and how many terrorists escaped.”
Referencing international diplomatic dynamics, Khera cited claims made by former U.S. President Donald Trump about his role in mediating between India and Pakistan to avert full-scale conflict. Trump, he claimed, threatened to halt trade relations with India unless tensions de-escalated — remarks Khera termed “very dangerous.”
Rahul Gandhi Calls Government's Actions a 'Crime'
Rahul Gandhi further escalated the issue over the weekend by sharing an undated video of Dr. Jaishankar in which the minister stated:
“At the start of the operation, we had sent a message to Pakistan, saying we are striking at terrorist infrastructure and we are not striking at the military. So the military has the option of standing out and not interfering in this process. They chose not to take that good advice.”
Gandhi, in a post on social media platform X, wrote:
“Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it. Who authorised it? How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result?”
On Monday, he intensified his attack, calling the EAM's silence on operational losses “damning.”
BJP Defends EAM, Attacks Congress
The BJP swiftly pushed back against the Congress allegations. BJP leader Aparna Bisht Yadav questioned the Congress party’s loyalty.
“I am doubting if Congress is even a party of this country or not. With such statements coming continuously, I am unable to understand whether the Congress party is in favour of India or Pakistan… The country should always be united during such times… This is very unfortunate,” she said, according to ANI.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi also condemned Gandhi’s remarks, accusing him of misrepresenting facts:
“Rahul Gandhi seems to have learned nothing from his past mistakes. He continues to disrespect the Nation’s Armed Forces by questioning how many jets were lost — despite clear statements from the IAF and MEA confirming there were no asset losses.”
He added:
“He misquotes the MEA, even though the DGMO clarified in his May 11 briefing that India had made efforts to communicate with its counterparts. Is the Congress party truly serious about supporting the nation? Their actions suggest otherwise.”
BJP IT Department Head Amit Malviya called Gandhi’s statements “sinister,” writing on X:
“Rahul Gandhi’s daftness is not merely incidental. It is sinister. Rahul Gandhi must desist from distorting facts. India knows who he truly speaks for.”
Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari echoed that sentiment:
“Rahul Gandhi’s ignorance isn’t just random – it’s dangerous. The deliberate twisting of facts by Rahul Gandhi is not a slip. It’s a calculated move to feed a hostile narrative. When India stands united against terror, he chooses to sow confusion and Pakistan celebrates it.”
In another post, Bhandari added:
“Rahul isn’t clueless. He’s complicit. India deserves better than a China-Pak spokesperson as Leader of Opposition.”
MEA Clarifies Position
Amid the political crossfire, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a clarification on the timeline of its communication with Pakistan.
“We had warned Pakistan at the start, which is clearly the early phase after Operation Sindoor’s commencement. This is being falsely represented as being before the commencement. This utter misrepresentation of facts is being called out,” the MEA stated.
About Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Indian forces carried out coordinated airstrikes on nine terror targets across Pakistan and PoK. The operation reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 10 family members of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar and four of his close associates.
The sites targeted included air bases and terrorist infrastructure in Rafiqui (Shorkot, Jhang), Murid (Chakwal), Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian (Kasur). Additionally, military airfields in Skardu, Bholari, Jacobabad, and Sargodha were severely damaged.
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