Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has taken sharp aim at the government’s handling of Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. Speaking in the Lower House on 29th July, Gandhi accused the ruling BJP of showing weak political will and putting unnecessary restrictions on the armed forces.

The heated debate in Parliament saw the Opposition accusing the government of lacking strategic clarity, while the BJP hit back, accusing Congress of politicising national security and disrupting proceedings. Gandhi, however, insisted that the Opposition had always stood with the armed forces and the government on matters of national security.

“Even before Operation Sindoor began, the Opposition committed itself to stand like a rock with the government and the forces,” he said.

“Political will” and “Freedom of Operation”

Gandhi’s criticism focused on two key points: political will and freedom of operation for the armed forces.

“There are two words: ‘Political Will’ and ‘Freedom of Operation’. If you want to utilise the Indian Armed Forces, you need 100% political will and full freedom of operation,” he said, pointing to the 1971 war as an example.

He recalled how then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had told General Sam Manekshaw to take as much time as needed to prepare and act, and how that decision led to a decisive victory where 1 lakh Pakistani soldiers surrendered, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh.

Gandhi contrasted that with Operation Sindoor, claiming that the government tied the hands of the military. “You went into Pakistan and told our pilots not to attack their air defence. It was bound that the aircraft would be downed. You tied the hands of our pilots,” he alleged.

He was quick to clarify that the Indian Air Force (IAF) had done no wrong, blaming instead the “political leadership” for restricting them from hitting military targets.

Background of Operation Sindoor

Operation Sindoor was India’s swift and strong military retaliation after the Pahalgam terror attack on 22nd April, in which 26 tourists were killed in Kashmir.

On the night of the attack, India launched 24 precision missiles targeting nine terrorist bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. These included terror launchpads, training centres, and safe houses. According to Indian government sources, more than 70 terrorists were killed and at least 60 others injured.

One of the worst-hit sites was the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp in Bahawalpur. The strikes were meant to send a strong message that India would not tolerate attacks on civilians and would respond with precision and force.

IAF Chief counters claims of “Tied Hands”

Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the government restricted the military was directly contradicted by Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal AP Singh. 

Addressing the 16th Air Chief Marshal LM Katre Memorial Lecture in Bengaluru, the IAF chief credited the success of Operation Sindoor to strong political will and full operational freedom given to the armed forces.

“I was present at the meetings. There was very clear political will, and there were no restrictions imposed. If there were any, they were self-imposed by the defence forces,” he said.

According to him, the military had full freedom to plan and execute the attacks on terror bases and Pakistani air bases. He praised the coordination between the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as the role of the Chief of Defence Staff and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Air Marshal Singh revealed that during the operation, Indian forces shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and an AWACS aircraft in the air, destroyed a few American F-16s undergoing maintenance, and hit another large aircraft on the ground.

Addressing doubts over the operation’s success

The IAF chief also addressed the scepticism around Operation Sindoor, saying it was “unfortunate” that some people in India doubted the operation’s success. He explained that since the targets were deep inside Pakistan, over 100 km from the border, getting definitive proof was challenging.

However, he pointed to satellite images and pictures from Pakistani media and social media showing massive damage to the terror bases and air force facilities. He also compared the operation to the 2019 Balakot air strikes, saying that this time the military had much more evidence of success.

Rahul Gandhi’s broader attack on the government’s strategy

Rahul Gandhi didn’t limit his criticism to the military aspect. He also questioned the government’s foreign policy and strategic messaging.

He accused the government of telling Pakistan, “we don’t want to fight” after the operation and mocked what he called the “new normal”, that the mastermind of the Pahalgam attack was having lunch with the US President even before the operation ended.

Gandhi challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to directly call out former US President Donald Trump for claiming that he brokered the ceasefire 29 times. “If Trump is lying, let the PM stand here and say: ‘Donald Trump, you are a liar.’ If he has the courage of Indira Gandhi, let him say it here in Parliament,” Gandhi said.

He also warned that India had failed in its biggest foreign policy challenge, keeping Pakistan and China apart and accused the government of underestimating the China-Pakistan partnership.

Congress leaders join in the criticism

Several Congress leaders have echoed Gandhi’s scepticism about Operation Sindoor. Kothur Manjunath, the MLA from Kolar City in Karnataka, asserted that the action has proven ineffective and failed to deliver justice to the family of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack. “If terrorists can enter our country, kill our people, and escape unscathed, isn’t that a glaring security failure? What was our army doing at the border? Did they have any plan at all?” he asked. 

🚨”Operation Sindoor was a show-off; nothing was done.”

Karnataka Congress MLA Kothur Manjunath questioned the effectiveness of Operation Sindoor and the government’s claims.

Another Congress leader speaks against the Indian Army pic.twitter.com/RavwUjfXAi

— Janta Journal (@JantaJournal) May 16, 2025

Congress veteran Prithviraj Chavan accused the government of using the name ‘Sindoor’ for emotional or religious gain. Congress leader Udit Raj also levelled similar allegations and accused, “During discussions with intellectuals, it was pointed out that Sindoor is associated with a specific religion, and it would have been better if a different name was chosen.”

Delhi: When asked about the name “Operation Sindoor” for the operation targeting terrorists

Congress leader Udit Raj says, “During discussions with intellectuals, it was pointed out that Sindoor is associated with a specific religion, and it would have been better if a different… pic.twitter.com/ef58ZH3mph

— IANS (@ians_india) May 8, 2025

Controversial Congress MP Imran Masood went even further, suggesting that the results of the operation should be made public. He referred back to the Balakot air strike, saying, “The world mocked us. People said we only killed three crows.” His comments aimed to downplay India’s earlier efforts against cross-border terrorism and added fuel to the ongoing debate.

Accusations of spreading conspiracy theories

The ruling BJP has accused Congress, and Rahul Gandhi in particular, of echoing the narratives of Pakistan and China by questioning the success of Operation Sindoor.

They pointed to how Congress leaders raised doubts similar to those made by Pakistan after the Balakot strikes, and accused the Opposition of undermining the armed forces for political gain.

Government sources have also said that by constantly questioning the operation and suggesting that “nothing much was achieved,” Congress is damaging India’s position on the global stage and giving ammunition to enemy propaganda.