NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday took a strong exception to former ally Uddhav Thackeray’s remark ridiculing India’s Operation Sindoor delegations.Hitting back at Thackeray, who had called all-party delegations “baraat”, Amit Shah said he couldn’t comprehend “what has happened to Uddhav Sena”.Shah further claimed that if Uddhav’s father, Balasaheb Thackeray, had been alive he would would have hugged PM Modi for Operation Sindoor against Pakistan-backed terrorists.“Had Balasaheb Thackeray been alive, he would have hugged Modi. But a Sena (UBT) leader called the delegations a baraat. I don’t know what has happened to the Uddhav Sena. They are calling the delegations a baraat even though their own members are a part of it,” said the Union home minister, while addressing a ‘Shankhnaad’ rally in Maharashtra’s Nanded.Shah hailed the success of Operation Sindoor, saying it had sent a strong signal not just to Pakistan but to the entire world that India’s armed forces, its citizens, and its borders are not to be trifled with. “Operation Sindoor has sent the message to not just Pakistan but also the world that no one can mess with our armed forces, people and borders. Else, the perpetrators will have to face consequences,” Shah said.Condemning the Pahalgam terror attack as a cowardly act by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists, Shah recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s firm stance in Patna following the incident.“Pakistan forgot that 11 years ago, there was a Congress government, which has now changed. We responded to the Uri, Pulwana and Pahalgham strikes and struck terror bases,” he said.Highlighting the swiftness of India’s counter-offensive, Shah noted that nine terror camps were taken out in just 22 minutes during Operation Sindoor on May 7. He added that India’s air defence system successfully intercepted all incoming Pakistani missiles and drones, preventing any damage to Indian territory.On May 9, the Indian armed forces neutralised Pakistan’s air defence system, Shah said.“Modiji has declared that there would be retaliation if the blood of innocent Indian civilians is shed. If our women’s sindoor is harmed, the response will be bloodier,” he added, stating that Operation Sindoor stands as a testament to the government’s unwavering resolve to defend the nation’s borders.
