NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday cited the latest admission by Jaish-e-Mohammad’s top commander about the devastation of Operation Sindoor, to hail the bravery and courage of Indian Armed Forces.While addressing a gathering in Hyderabad, Rajnath said that country’s strength has grown even further under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and no power can dare to challenge India’s sovereignty.”The commander of the terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed has admitted that during the Bahawalpur attack during Operation Sindoor, the family of dreaded terrorist Masood Azhar was destroyed. This was the bravery and courage of our Indian Army soldiers. A video of this was also released yesterday. Under the leadership of our Prime Minister Modi, India’s strength has grown even further. Therefore, no power can dare to challenge India’s sovereignty,” the defence minister said.He further dismissed any claims of a third party being involved between an agreement of cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. He said that Operation Sindoor will resume if any other terror incident occurs. “There are some people who say that this ceasefire between India and Pakistan came to be put in place due to someone’s interference. I want to make this clear: our action against the terrorists was not postponed because of anyone’s interference. Operation Sindoor has been postponed. If any terrorist incident occurs, Operation Sindoor will resume,” Rajnath said.”I want to tell this with confidence to the people of the entire country that regarding stopping this ongoing operation between India and Pakistan, some people claim that we have stopped it, but no one has stopped it,” he added.This comes after Jaish-e-Mohammad’s top commander Masood Ilyas Kashmiri appeared in a video admitting that the counterterror strike under Operation Sindoor tore the family members of the terror group’s chief, Maulana Masood Azhar, into pieces.In the viral clip circulating on social media, Ilyas said, “In defending this land, we embraced militancy and fought in Delhi, Kabul and Kandahar to protect its borders. After giving everything, on May 7, Indian forces struck in Bahawalpur, tearing apart the family of Maulana Masood Azhar.”The video shows Ilyas speaking in a high-pitched tone into a microphone, with several gun-wielding guards standing in the background.Earlier in the day PM Modi also referred to the Jaish-e-Muhammed commander’s confession video and lauded the military for the success of Operation Sindoor which “brought Pakistan to its knees within the blink of an eye.”Addressing a gathering at Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar on his 75th birthday, PM Modi said: “Abhi kal hi desh aur duniya ne dekha hai fir ek Pakistani aatanki ne ro ro kar apna haal bataya hai. Ye naya Bharat hai. Ye kisi ki parmanu dhamki se darta nahi hai… Ghar mein ghus ke maarta hai. (Just yesterday, the nation and the world saw yet another Pakistani terrorist crying and revealing his condition. This is the new India — one that does not fear anyone’s nuclear threats).””The nation gives utmost priority to the security of Mother India. Pakistani terrorists removed the Sindoor of our sisters and daughters. We did Operation Sindoor and destroyed terror camps. Our brave armed forces brought Pakistan to its knees within the blink of an eye. Just yesterday, the nation and the world witnessed another Pakistani terrorist tearfully narrate his ordeal. This is a new India. It fears no one’s nuclear threats,” he added.
