Surgical Strikes

Pakistan said that it had carried out strikes along the border with Afghanistan, targeting hideouts of Pakistani militants it blames for recent attacks inside the country. Islamabad did not say in precisely which areas the strikes were carried out or provide details. There was no immediate comment from Kabul. In comments before dawn Sundya, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar wrote on X that the military conducted what he described as "intelligence-based, selective operations" against seven camps belonging to the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, and its affiliates. He said an affiliate of the Islamic State group was also targeted in the border region. In October, Pakistan has also conducted strikes deep inside Afghanistan to target militant hideouts.

Congress' Randeep Singh Surjewala made these remarks after Shashi Tharoor in Panama mentioned that India has changed its approach in the past few years

In a veiled warning to Pakistan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said India is getting more powerful and if the need arises, it can hit on this side of the border and also by going across. Addressing a security conclave at the University of Jammu, he asserted that the country has taken major action against terrorism under the Modi government and referred to the surgical strikes carried out across the border in 2016 and the Balakot air strike in 2019. Bharat ab pehle jaisa Bharat nahi raha. Bharat takatwar banta jaa raha hai. Zaroorat padi to Bharat seema ke iss par bhi maar sakta hai aur zaroorat padi toh uss paar bhi jaa sakta hai (India is not the same as it used to be. It is getting more powerful. If needed, India can hit on this side of the border and can go across the border as well," the defence minister said. "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government started effective action against terrorism and for the first time not only the country but

By asking proof of the surgical strikes, KCR has now joined the bandwagon of the "Tukde Tukde gang and urban naxals" to cast aspersions on the armed forces, said Reddy

The pandemic has resolved many of Mr Modi's issues - protestors have dispersed, state govts are queuing up for support, and all economic problems can be laid at the door of Covid-19 - writes T N Ninan

Kamal Nath said Modi keeps talking about nationalism, Pakistan, Hindu-Muslim divide and needless issues like CAA

Congress sources said party president Rahul Gandhi met Hooda and discussed the modalities of the panel

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Lt Gen (retd) D S Hooda's remarks that it would have been better if the 2016 surgical strikes were carried out secretly, alleging that the PM used the military action for "political capital". Lt Gen (retd) Hooda, responding to a question during the Military Literature Festival in Chandigarh on Friday, had said in hindsight, it would have been better had "we done it (surgical strikes) secretly". Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said: "Spoken like a true soldier General. India is so proud of you. Mr 36 has absolutely no shame in using our military as a personal asset. "He used the surgical strikes for political capital and the Rafale deal to increase Anil Ambani's real capital by 30,000 Cr. #SurgicalStrike (sic)." Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala thanked Lt Gen (retd) Hooda for "exposing the petty politicisation by PM Modi". "No one can use the valour & sacrifice of our brave soldiers to

Gen Hooda was the Northern Army commander when the surgical strikes were carried out on September 29, 2016 across the LoC as a response to a terrorist attack in Uri earlier that month

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar tells MPs panel that the government went public on the surgical strikes in order to convey a politico-military message

Manohar Parrikar's has recently said that no surgical strikes took place during the UPA government

He stated that he trusted the government and the army

On the decision of conducting surgical strikes, Parrikar gave credit to 1.27 billion citizens and Indian armed forces

The state unit of Congress also questioned the justification of BJP indulging in a "poster campaign" in the wake of the strikes

Prasad said BJP is falsely trying to take credit of brave acts of the Indian Army

Shakeel Ahmed also criticised the Modi government for cashing in on the September 28 surgical strikes across LoC

Army had carried out surgical strikes across the LoC in 2011 in retaliation to attack on army post in Kupwara: reports

Pakistani army's radio intercepts showed that around 20 fighters of the LeT were killed during the strikes

BJP President Amit Shah said senior party leaders and ministers have not issued any statements that could be construed as politicising the surgical strikes

The author looks at the lives of para commandos and the gruelling training they undergo to become a part of the elite force equipped to carry out surgical strikes