During the Lok Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday launched a sharp critique of the Indian government's handling of the military operation and the subsequent ceasefire with Pakistan. The debate, part of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, centred on India’s military response to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives. He raised pointed questions about the timing of ‘Operation Mahadev’, the role of US President Donald Trump in announcing the ceasefire, and the government’s alleged intelligence failures.
Yadav began by lauding the Indian armed forces for their bravery in Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure across the Line of Control (LoC) and within Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack. However, he questioned the government’s motives, particularly the timing of Operation Mahadev, a joint operation by the Indian Army, CRPF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police that neutralised three terrorists linked to the Pahalgam attack. While the news about ‘Operation Mahadev’ broke on Monday as the Parliament assembled to discuss on ‘Operation Sindoor’ but it was Union Home Minister Amit Shah who on Tuesday confirmed the killing of the three terrorists, also claiming that they- Suleman Shah (alias Hashim Musa), Afghan, and Jibran belonging to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were involved in Pahalgam attack.
“Why did Operation Mahadev happen yesterday, the very day the Operation Sindoor debate was scheduled in Parliament?” Yadav asked, suggesting the timing might have been orchestrated for political leverage. “Is this by design? When all political parties supported the operation, who is taking political advantage of this?” he added, hinting at possible manipulation by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The SP leader also took aim at the government’s decision to halt Operation Sindoor, which he described as a missed opportunity to deliver a lasting lesson to Pakistan. “We were hoping the government itself would announce the ceasefire, but since they have deep friendships, they asked their friend to announce it,” Yadav remarked, referring to US President Donald Trump’s claim of brokering the ceasefire. Trump’s repeated assertions, made 25 times in 73 days according to opposition leaders, have stirred controversy, with Yadav questioning why India allowed a foreign leader to take credit for ending the four-day conflict. “Under whose pressure was the ceasefire accepted? The nation wants to know why we retreated when our forces were in a strong position,” he said, accusing the government of compromising national security.
Yadav further labeled Operation Sindoor as a “symbol of the government’s intelligence failure,” pointing to the lapses that allowed the Pahalgam attack to occur. “Who will take responsibility for the security lapse? The government claimed there would be no terrorist incidents after the abrogation of Article 370, yet 26 innocent lives were lost,” he said, addressing the House. He also criticised the government’s foreign policy, alleging it had “collapsed” and failed to counter Trump’s claims effectively. “The biggest question is accountability. The victims’ families are asking why they weren’t protected,” Yadav said, emphasising the need for answers.
Amit Shah detailed how forensic evidence, including cartridge matches, linked the terrorists to the April 22 incident. “I expected the opposition to celebrate the elimination of these terrorists, but they seem unhappy,” Shah said, taking a swipe at opposition. Shah also defended Operation Sindoor, stating it exposed Pakistan’s role in state-sponsored terrorism and achieved its objectives without civilian casualties.
