Congress Leader Refuses to Apologize for Operation Sindoor Comments, Sparks Political Row with BJP

The Congress' Maharashtra leader, Prithviraj Chavan (File).

New Delhi:

Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan has firmly refused to apologize for his controversial statement regarding Operation Sindoor, where he claimed India was "defeated on Day 1" of the military engagement with Pakistan in May. "I will not say sorry... haven't said anything wrong and have nothing to apologize for," he declared on Wednesday.

"I don't want to say anything more now... but I will not apologize. There is no need... I did not make any wrong comment," Chavan insisted, further intensifying a controversy that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will likely use to criticize the Congress party in Parliament this week.

The former Maharashtra Chief Minister ignited significant controversy after claiming that Indian military aircraft were shot down by Pakistani forces on the first day of Operation Sindoor. During an event in Pune, he also stated that the Indian Air Force had been "completely grounded" as a result.

Chavan reinforced these comments Wednesday morning, provoking harsh responses from BJP leaders who accused the Congress of being pro-Pakistani and desperately seeking attention after multiple electoral defeats.

'Insulting Army is hallmark of Congress'

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla led the criticism, accusing senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of revealing his "mindset" by not taking action against party colleagues who make such statements.

"Insulting the Army has become the hallmark of the Congress... this is not just Chavan's statement. Rahul Gandhi has made similar statements... all this reflects Gandhi's mindset, which is why neither the Congress nor he acts against such leaders. These statements reveal their anti-army mentality."

"No one has the right to abuse the valour of our Army," Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh stated, "Those who do so can never think of the nation's interest....It has become Congress's habit to insult our forces."

"I strongly condemn this statement," Brij Lal, a BJP Rajya Sabha MP and former Uttar Pradesh Police chief, said, "Congress has always been pro-Pakistani and humiliated the country. When he goes abroad, Rahul Gandhi insults India. The whole country is watching... public will teach them a lesson."

Brijmohan Agrawal, a BJP leader from Chhattisgarh, added, "After repeatedly losing elections, Congress leaders have become disturbed. Giving such statements on Operation Sindoor, which the entire nation and army are proud of, is an insult to the entire country."

Congress responds

The Congress party has moved quickly to distance itself from Chavan's remarks.

Sukhdeo Bhagat, a Jharkhand Lok Sabha MP, said, "Only Prithviraj can reveal his sources... but we are proud of our army... Congress supports the government in its fight against terrorism and Pakistan."

Pramod Tiwari, a Rajya Sabha MP, praised the Army as a "world-conquering force", but included a subtle criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding "…under the political leadership of Indira Gandhi…"

Op Sindoor

Operation Sindoor was India's military response to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. Nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were destroyed. This prompted a counter-attack that proved ineffective against India's missile defense system.

Pakistan launched hundreds of armed drones and missiles targeting Indian military bases and civilian centers, but these were shot down or disabled; the few that struck caused minimal damage.

Pakistan also lost at least four fighter jets – United States-made F-16s and Chinese J-17s – according to Air Chief Marshal AP Singh's October statement. India's precision strikes also disabled radar systems, Command & Control centers, runways, hangars, and other military infrastructure.

Addressing claims that Pakistan shot down Indian planes, including at least one newly-purchased Rafale, the Air Chief Marshal emphatically dismissed them as propaganda designed to mislead Pakistani citizens.

Pakistan claimed, and continues to maintain, that it shot down six Indian military aircraft, including the Rafale. However, the Pakistani government has not yet provided evidence supporting this claim.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.