'Foolish, ignorant', BJP's Agnimitra Paul slams Cong leader Udit Raj over Operation Sindoor remark

Kolkata, May 8 (IANS) West Bengal BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Udit Raj for his remarks questioning the name of India's recent military action, 'Operation Sindoor'.

Paul labelled Raj a "fool and ignorant person" and asserted that India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, is no longer weak but resolute in the face of terrorism.

Raj had earlier questioned the nature of the operation's name, suggesting that the term "Sindoor" is associated with a specific religion and that a more neutral term would have been preferable.

"During discussions with intellectuals, it was pointed out that Sindoor is associated with a specific religion, and it would have been better if a different name had been chosen. However, this is not very important. What matters is that Pakistan has been taught a lesson," he told IANS.

Reacting strongly, Paul told IANS, "Look at the person speaking -- he is a fool, an ignorant person. The way our 26 fellow Indians were killed in Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor, is the fitting reply to that. These people who are criticising now, they are the same ones who wanted India to remain weak like it was during the Congress regime, when no meaningful action was taken even after incidents like 26/11."

Paul said the operation's name is not just a symbolic reference but a powerful tribute to the victims of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

"This is not a weak India; this is PM Modi's strong India. The way 'sindoor' was wiped off from the foreheads of so many women, this operation was a befitting answer for that," she added.

Sindoor, or vermilion, is traditionally a sacred symbol of marriage in Hindu culture. Its use in the operation's name has been interpreted as a tribute to the wives who lost their husbands in the terror strike.

The April 22 massacre in Pahalgam claimed 26 civilian lives -- 25 of whom were Hindu men, many newly married and on holiday with their spouses when they were gunned down in front of their families by terrorists.

Sources indicate that the symbolic significance of the 'sindoor' -- often worn by married Hindu women -- was central to the naming of the operation, meant to honour the victims' families and underscore the targeted nature of the terror attack.

--IANS

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