Former J&K top cop slams Congress leaders over 'Operation Sindoor' remarks (IANS Exclusive)

Jammu, May 8 (IANS) Former Jammu & Kashmir DGP SP Vaid has hit out at Congress leaders Udit Raj and Prithviraj Chavan for their objections to the naming of India’s recent counterterrorism action as Operation Sindoor.

In an exclusive interview with IANS, Vaid said such statements are misguided, politically motivated, and show a lack of understanding of India's cultural ethos.

Responding to Udit Raj's remark that the word ‘Sindoor’ is associated with a specific religion, Vaid said, “I completely disagree. Sindoor is a part of Indian culture and not confined to any one religion. Such symbolism should not be communalised.”

He also dismissed Prithviraj Chavan’s claim that the name plays on Hindu sentiments.

“Only his feelings seem to have been hurt, and no one else’s. True patriots, regardless of religion, stand with India’s armed forces,” Vaid asserted, noting that the operation was briefed by Col. Sofia Qureshi, a Muslim officer whose father expressed pride in her role.

Operation Sindoor, carried out by Indian armed forces on May 7, targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

The strikes marked a significant escalation in India’s counterterrorism posture and sent a strong message across the region.

Vaid, a former top cop with decades of experience in handling terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir, emphasised that military operations like Sindoor are necessary but not sufficient to end terrorism permanently.

“This fight won’t be over until the roots, Pakistan’s Army and ISI, are dismantled,” he said.

On Pakistan’s denial of the scale of damage, Vaid dismissed it as routine propaganda.

“Pakistan never admits its losses. Their military thrives on deception and denial. The Indian government has clearly stated the facts, including specific coordinates of the destroyed camps,” he said.

Vaid also criticised the United Nations for drawing a moral equivalence between India and Pakistan.

“The UN should be standing against terrorism, not appealing for restraint in a situation where one country is defending itself and the other is exporting jihad,” he said.

Vaid warned that the real solution lies in dismantling Pakistan’s terror infrastructure and the agencies that sustain it. “Until that happens, peace will remain elusive.”

--IANS

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