Not aware of any surgical strike under Congress-led UPA govt, says Athawale

Mumbai: Union minister Ramdas Athawale on Thursday asserted that he was not aware of any surgical strike carried out during the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh, and that there was no information available about it.

He said Operation Sindoor was necessary to teach Pakistan a lesson, adding that the neighbouring country should stop supporting terrorists and hand over the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) back to India.

Before being part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Athawale's Republic Party of India (Athawale) was a constituent of the Congress-helmed United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Referring to Operation Sindoor, Athawale said, "Before this, another surgical strike had been carried out during the Narendra Modi government only. Congress leaders might say that a surgical strike had been conducted during Manmohan Singh's tenure. But there is no such information. I was with the Congress and part of the UPA at that time. I do not have any information about any such surgical strike."

The Minister of State for Social Justice said, "The entire world knows that action like Operation Sindoor was necessary. Terrorists came from Pakistan and killed our people at Pahalgam in Kashmir..."

He dismissed allegations that PM Modi was politicising the issue.

"Operation Sindoor was necessary to teach Pakistan a lesson. There is no need to politicise the issue. PM Modi is not politicising it," Athawale said.

Responding to Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's remarks on the BJP's silence over former US President Donald Trump claiming credit for ceasefire efforts between India and Pakistan, Athawale said nobody could stop Trump from expressing his opinions.

"Trump has put forward his views. The reason behind the prevailing peaceful situation is because we succeeded in destroying terrorist camps in Pakistan. India has always maintained that PoK should be returned. Trump has no role in it," the minister said.

India has always maintained that discussion with Pakistan will have no intermediary. We do not need anyone for that, he added.

Athawale also slammed Pakistan for continuing to support terrorism.

"Pakistan never learnt its lessons as it trained terrorists and sent them to India. If it keeps doing so, Pakistan must have learnt by now that India may destroy it. Pakistan should stop supporting terrorists and hand over PoK back to India," he said.

Speaking about the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra, Athawale made it clear that his party - RPI (A) - will stay with the BJP, even if other alliance partners of the ruling Mahayuti alliance contest elections on their own.

"Aligning with RPI (A) will be beneficial for the BJP," he said.