New Delhi: As IAF (Indian Air Force) struck the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camps and other terrorist outfit camps at Muzzafarbad and Balakot sector, killing over 350 terrorists, 25 commanders and 42 suicide bombers, the opposition and ruling party leaders have lauded the ‘Surgical Strikes – Part II’, here on Monday, February 26.
CM Kumaraswamy lauds IAF, says it was ‘need of the hour’
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, speaking to media after ‘bhoomi puja’ of the Karnataka State Highway road project (Magadi- Huliyurdurga-Nagamangala-K R Pet-Ramanathapura-Somawarapete) said, “It was necessary to give a befitting reply to the terrorists who carried out the Pulwama attack, in which over 40 CRPF jawans were martyred. The surgical strike that was carried out by the IAF at wee hours of Tuesday was the need of the hour. It was something the citizens of India were waiting for.”
Only PM Modi could deliver this: Adityanath on air strikes
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday praised the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) action against terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) that operates from Pakistan, adding that it was only under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership that this could be possible.
Addressing a public rally in Hardoi district, the Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister could make the impossible possible.
Yogi, who also inaugurated a medical college there, said that it was only the will power and the zeal to think beyond the box that Hardoi has a medical college, millions of poor households have gas connections, metered electricity and toilets.
Targeting his predecessors for dividing the people on the lines of caste and creed, and for patronising criminals and graft, the Chief Minister said that earlier governments used to work for ‘vinaash’ (destruction) while the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government was for ‘Vikas’ (development).
He informed the people that while in the regime of Akhilesh Yadav only 20,000 houses were made for the poor, in the past two years alone nine lakh houses have been given to people under the Prime Minister Housing Scheme.
Owaisi welcomes IAF strike
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday hailed the Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes on terror camps in Pakistan, saying India has the right to self-defence.
“We welcome this. It’s a right step. We stand by the government,” the Hyderabad MP told reporters.
“If a country is not able to stop non-state actors, then another country which is the target of terrorist violence has the right to act in self-defence,” he said.
Owaisi said India should now go after Pakistani terrorist leaders Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar. “They are satans and their outfits are also evil.”
Delhi Speaker congratulates IAF
Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel on Tuesday praised IAF pilots for striking terror camps in Pakistan and also marshalled out four BJP MLAs for shouting “Modi zindabad”.
As the Budget Session began with Goel’s speech praising the IAF, the Aam Aadmi Party MLAs gave a standing ovation to the IAF and shouted slogans “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “Vande Mataram” in the House.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, O.P. Sharma, Jagdish Pradhan, and M.S. Sirsa were marshalled out for creating a ruckus and shouting “Modi zindabad” in the House.
The BJP MLAs also demanded for a chance to speak individually to praise the IAF. Rejecting their demand, Goel said: “I could have considered their request.
“First, they came late (for the Hosue session). Then as soon as I started speaking, they shouted ‘Modi zindabad’. I don’t consider this as correct. It was an effort of the IAF.”
Goel asked the BJP MLAs to apologise for hailing Modi, and later called the marshals.
Air strikes against JeM a right step: Nitish Kumar
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday termed the air strikes against the biggest training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) at Balakot in Pakistan as a right step. The government has given a free hand to the armed forces. It is a suitable example of necessary action.
Nitish Kumar said that people’s anger against terrorism is natural. “Such action will ensure an end to terrorism,” he said in his reaction to the air strikes by the Indian Air Force early on Tuesday.
BJP state president Nityanand Rai said PM Narendra Modi has fulfilled his promise of taking action against terrorism.
In Patna, near the BJP office, some party workers distributed sweets and burst firecrackers to celebrate the air strikes.
BJP ally JD-U chief spokesperson Sanjay Singh said Modi has proved that he has a 56 inch chest by acting against terrorism.
Opposition RJD legislator and former Minister Vijay Prakash said: “We salute the Indian Air Force for this brave act. We should be proud of the Air Force and the Army.”
TN CM, Rajinikanth, Stalin hail air strikes
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami, superstar-turned-politician Rajinikanth and DMK chief M.K. Stalin hailed the Indian Air Force (IAF) for striking the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) biggest training camp at Balakot in Pakistan.
Palaniswami thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu for his daring actions to eradicate terrorism and also congratulated the IAF for destroying the terror camps operating inside Pakistan through the aerial strikes that were carried out early Tuesday morning.
According to Palaniswami, Modi is scoring several victories with his actions.
In a two word tweet, Rajinikanth said: “Bravo India.”
Stalin said in a tweet: “Proud of our #IndianAirForce pilots for their exceptional act of valour!”
As celebrations erupted across India, Foreign Secretary Vijay K. Gokhale told the media that “in an intelligence-led operation in the early hours of today, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot.
“In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated.”
Rahul, Kejriwal praise IAF pilots for crossing LoC
Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday praised the pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) following reports that they crossed the Line of Control (LoC) with their fighter jets and returned after dropping a payload in Pakistan.
“I salute the pilots of the IAF,” Gandhi tweeted.
Kejriwal in a tweet said: “I salute the bravery of Indian Air Force pilots who have made us proud by striking terror targets in Pakistan.”
Pakistan claimed on Tuesday that IAF fighter jets crossed the LoC and returned after the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) scrambled war planes.
Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Asif Ghafoor in a tweet confirmed that the jets dropped in the payload near Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Mamata hails ‘amazing’ Indian Air Force
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday hailed the Indian Air Force after it carried out air strikes across the Line of Control in Pakistan’s Balakot.
“IAF also means India’s Amazing Fighters. Jai Hind,” Banerjee tweeted.
Reports claimed that the IAF strike was carried out by a group of Mirage 2000 fighters at around 3.30 a.m. in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.
The strike in Balakot was significant as the location was beyond Pakistan-administered Kashmir, indicating it was not merely an LoC violation but a punitive action inside Pakistani territory.
It follows a suicide bombing attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Pulwama on February 14 that killed 40 troopers.
Additional inputs from newskarnataka.com
