A political storm continues to rage a day after former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan sparked sharp controversy with his remarks on Operation Sindoor. On Wednesday, the senior Congress leader stood firm, demanding a transparent inquiry into the April 22 Pahalgam incident and calling on the Centre to make full details of Operation Sindoor public.
Refusing to withdraw his statement or issue an apology, Chavan said he was well within his democratic rights to question the government. “I have the right to ask questions. Why should I apologise?” he said, making it clear that he would not bow to pressure from the ruling BJP.
Chavan accused his critics of deliberately twisting his words to divert attention from what he described as more serious issues before Parliament, including the nuclear privatisation legislation, known as the SHANTI Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha earlier this week. According to him, the controversy is being manufactured to shift the public narrative away from policy debates.
The row erupted after Chavan claimed that India suffered setbacks on the first day of Operation Sindoor and alleged that Indian aircraft were shot down during the four-day military engagement. Speaking at a press conference in Pune, he reiterated his position, saying, “On the first day of Operation Sindoor, we were completely defeated. In the half-hour aerial engagement on the 7th, we were fully defeated, whether people accept it or not.”
The BJP reacted strongly, accusing the Congress of undermining the morale and honour of the Armed Forces. Union Minister Giriraj Singh launched a blistering attack on Chavan, saying no political leader has the right to insult the bravery of India’s soldiers. “Those who do this can never think in the nation’s interest. Insulting the Armed Forces has become a habit for the Congress,” Singh alleged.
The Congress, however, pushed back, asserting its respect for the military. Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari described the Indian Army as a “world-conquering force,” while also taking a swipe at the BJP by stating that such strength was achieved “under the political leadership of Indira Gandhi.”
Operation Sindoor was launched by India in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. During the operation, Indian forces destroyed nine terrorist bases across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistani retaliation in the form of missile and drone attacks failed to penetrate India’s air defence systems, with most threats intercepted and neutralised.
