Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday flagged off the ‘Bharat Shaurya Tiranga Yatra’ in Lucknow, paying tribute to the Indian armed forces for their bravery during Operation Sindoor.
Addressing the public, CM Yogi issued a strong message to Pakistan for its continued support of terrorism.
“Our soldiers have given a clear message that ‘hum chhedenge nhi, par agar koi chhedega to ham chhodenge nhi’ (We won’t trouble anyone but if someone troubles us, we will not spare them),” he said.
He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiating Operation Sindoor in response to the “barbaric” Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives.
“We thank the Prime Minister for Operation Sindoor. The whole country and the world had condemned the barbaric act of a Pakistan-supported terrorist in Pahalgam on April 22. The nurturers of terrorism, Pakistan, remained silent in this whole incident. India launched Operation Sindoor after Pakistan did not learn from its action, and on the first day more than 100 terrorists were killed. The whole world saw the way these terrorists were punished for their dastardly acts and has acknowledged the valour of Indian soldiers,” CM Yogi said.
Speaking about the Tiranga Yatra, he said it is a symbol of national pride and a gesture of gratitude to Indian soldiers and the Prime Minister.
“Bharatiya Janata Party is organising Tiranga Yatra in the whole country. This Tiranga is the symbol of India’s honour prestige, and pride. This Tiranga is the symbol of India’s valour and courage. To show our respect to this Tiranga and our soldiers, express gratitude toward PM Modiji,” he stated.
CM Yogi also highlighted the importance of the ‘Nation First’ spirit in building a Viksit Bharat (Developed India).
“Our aim should be to work with the spirit of ‘nation first’ to fulfil the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’. When 140 crore Indians work with the spirit of ‘nation first’, no force can oppose India. Today, we are participating in this ‘Tiranga Yatra’ to remind ourselves of that resolution…The world has seen this shameful act of Pakistan, where its army officials and top leaders attended the funeral of terrorists. These things show that Pakistan is a failed nation. In the last 70-75 years, Pakistan has sown the seeds of terrorism only,” he added.
The event was attended by Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, BJP UP President Chaudhary Bhupendra Singh, and other state cabinet ministers.
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, was a decisive retaliatory action by the Indian Armed Forces against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The operation followed Pakistan’s cross-border shelling and drone attacks after the Pahalgam incident. Indian forces destroyed multiple radar, communication and airfield targets across 11 Pakistani airbases, leading to the elimination of over 100 terrorists associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
A bilateral ceasefire understanding was reached on May 10, halting hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.