New Delhi [India], May 7 : Praising the Indian defence forces for carrying out precision strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Congress leader Rajeev Shukla described the operation as "tit for tat" and stated that an essential lesson has been taught to Pakistan.
The Congress MP further reiterated the opposition's full support for the government, saying, "I would like to congratulate the Indian Army for the great job. This is a tit for tat, an essential lesson taught to Pakistan. All political parties are together in this, and we will support whatever the government decides... Nobody is asking for proof..." Shukla told reporters.
Congress leader Neeraj Kundan also saluted and lauded the Indian defence forces for these precision strikes.
"I salute the Indian army as they have repeated the history... They destroyed the terror bases of Pakistan after the heinous act committed in Pahalgam... Every Indian is proud today, and the deaths of tourists in Pahalgam were avenged today..." Kundan told ANI.
Speaking on the firing and shelling by Pakistan military across LoC, he said, "... Every resident of the border areas stands in support of the army and wants them to give a befitting reply to Pakistan... A golden opportunity lies with our armed forces to uproot militancy promoted by Pakistan."
Meanwhile, several states observed blackouts as part of the nationwide civil defence mock drills ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The exercise, which involved scheduled blackouts at key locations, aimed to test the country's emergency preparedness against potential threats.
From Rashtrapati Bhavan and Vijay Chowk in Delhi to Raj Bhavan in Patna, lights were switched off at several key places. The exercise involved scheduled blackouts at several major locations across the country.
Cities like Barmer in Rajasthan, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, Surat in Gujarat, Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, and Patna in Bihar also took part in the drill.
Earlier today, mock drills were carried out across major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Gwalior, and Jaipur, to evaluate local response capabilities to security challenges.
This came after the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). This operation was a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including one Nepali national.
Hours after India conducted a series of strikes on terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh held a media briefing in the national capital to share the details of the operation.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who briefed the media alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, stated that 'Operation Sindoor' was launched to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families.
Singh reported that a total of nine terror sites were targeted and successfully destroyed. She emphasised that the locations were chosen to ensure there was no damage to civilians or their infrastructure.
"Operation Sindoor was launched by the Indian Armed Forces to deliver justice to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and their families. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and successfully destroyed... The locations were so selected to avoid damage to civilian infrastructures and loss of any civilian lives", Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said.
Col Sofiya Qureshi presented the videos of the destruction of terror camps, including from the Muridke and where David Headley and Ajmal Kasab, perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, received training. Other than Muridke, Sarjal camp in Sialkot, Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala and Markaz Abbas, Kotli and Mehmoona Joya camp, Sialkot, were targeted in the strikes conducted by the Indian Army, Col Qureshi informed.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the attack on Pahalgam was driven by an objective of undermining the return of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
India has carried out its deepest strikes inside Pakistan's undisputed territory since 1971, successfully targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This marks New Delhi's most significant military action within Pakistani territory in over five decades.