New Delhi [India]: The Congress party will organize a nationwide ‘Jai Hind Yatra’ across all state units on May 9 to express solidarity with the nation and the Armed Forces in the wake of Operation Sindoor, sources within the party confirmed on Thursday.
The move follows an all-party meeting held earlier in the day, where political leaders were briefed on the evolving security situation with Pakistan after India’s precision strikes on terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes were carried out in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
While the Congress party extended its full support to the central government during the meeting, party president Mallikarjun Kharge voiced concerns over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence. Kharge questioned whether the Prime Minister considered himself “above Parliament,” reiterating criticism he made during a previous all-party meeting that the PM also did not attend.
The all-party meeting, held at the Parliament Annexe, saw the participation of several senior leaders including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, which saw nine terror camps destroyed—including those linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen—Pakistan launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks on military targets across Northern and Western India, including locations like Srinagar, Pathankot, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Bhuj. These were neutralized by India’s Integrated Counter UAS Grid and S-400 Sudarshan Chakra air defence systems.
According to defence sources, India has since launched targeted strikes on Pakistani air defence radars, with reliable information suggesting that an air defence installation in Lahore was neutralized.
The initial strikes carried out by India focused on four key terrorist camps in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya inside Pakistan, and five more in PoJK including Markaz Ahle Hadith Barnala, Markaz Abbas, Maskar Raheel Shahid, Shawai Nallah Camp, and Markaz Syedna Bilal in Muzaffarabad.
Meanwhile, tensions continue to escalate as Pakistan intensifies cross-border firing using mortars and artillery along the Line of Control (LoC) in areas such as Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri. Sixteen civilians, including three women and five children, have lost their lives due to unprovoked firing.
Indian Armed Forces have reiterated their commitment to non-escalation, provided Pakistan ceases its aggressive actions.