NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule, who is leading an all-party parliamentary delegation in South Africa, condemned the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, calling it a devastating blow to every Indian across the globe. Speaking at a community interaction in Johannesburg on May 27, Sule highlighted India’s global efforts to combat terrorism and shared the impact of the attack with the Indian diaspora.
“When PM Modi took oath in 2014, he invited every neighbour to his oath ceremony to send a message that we wanted the subcontinent to be peaceful and happy and to grow together. But, unfortunately, with the Pahalgam incident, it has not happened. This incident has shaken every Indian everywhere in the world. I am happy South Africa has stood by India,” Sule said.
She added that it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision that Operation Sindoor should send a strong global message of India’s zero-tolerance for terrorism.
“It was PM Modi’s wish that Operation Sindoor shouldn’t be limited only to India and Pakistan… Pahalgam is the most traumatic and painful experience that we all have been through… A lot of innocent people’s lives have been destroyed. It was an attack on India’s soul. Hence, the truth must be told to the world that we won’t tolerate terrorism. India is a country that has never initiated a war ever; we stand by that. We want peace, but not at the cost of losing our hardworking, innocent souls…”
BJP MP Anurag Thakur, also part of the delegation, accused Pakistan of inaction and detailed the Indian armed forces’ response.
“When Pakistan didn’t act for 15 days after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, our armed forces did something tremendous. Nine terror sites were attacked, and even they (terrorists) said that – 10 from the family have gone; it would have been better if I had gone too… Pakistan is the only country in the world, with 52 entities and individuals named in the UNSC list, which are affiliated with terrorism; all have links with Pakistan.”
He also emphasized the targeted nature of the attack:
“In Pahalgam, people were selected based on religion, and then killed in front of their kids and wives. TRF took responsibility for the attack. Pakistan is the country that spreads terrorism in India and the entire world…”
Congress MP Manish Tewari denounced terrorism as an “evil” that must be eradicated globally.
“Terrorism has no religion, terrorism has no other manifestation. Terrorism is a pure evil which has to be exorcised from the body politic of this globe. And that is why, after this horrific attack in Pahalgam, where 26 of our citizens were executed in cold blood, we are reaching out to the global community to create a global consensus against those nations which use terror as an instrument of state policy.”
Tewari reaffirmed India’s long-standing belief in peaceful coexistence:
“India has always believed in a peaceful neighbourhood. We continue to believe in a peaceful neighbourhood, but we will not and cannot tolerate terrorism, which is being sponsored by Pakistan now going back 45 years.”
The all-party Indian parliamentary delegation—comprising Supriya Sule, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Vikramjeet Singh Sahney, Manish Tewari, Anurag Singh Thakur, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Anand Sharma, V. Muraleedharan, and former diplomat Syed Akbaruddin—was in Johannesburg to engage with the Indian community and present India’s firm stance against terrorism.
The delegation reiterated India’s zero-tolerance policy toward cross-border terrorism and emphasized that Operation Sindoor was a calibrated and proportionate response, intended to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism without escalating regional tensions.
The delegation will continue its diplomatic engagement in Cape Town on Wednesday, including meetings with members of the South African Parliament and ministers from the South African government.