‘Terrorists wiped off our women’s Sindoor, we obliterated their headquarters’: PM Modi explains symbolism behind ‘Operation Sindoor’
India news: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his address to the nation, "Operation Sindoor is not just a name. It is a reflection of the feelings of millions of people in the country."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Tuesday (May 13) for the second time since the Indian Army launched Operation Sindoor, a military response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 Indians, most of them tourists.
The prime minister said, "Operation Sindoor is not just a name. It is a reflection of the feelings of millions of people in the country. Operation Sindoor is an unbroken pledge of justice. Late night of 6 May and morning of 7 May, the whole world has seen this pledge turning into results."
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‘Sindoor’: A symbol of loss and retribution
The name “Operation Sindoor” carries deep cultural meaning in India. Sindoor, or vermilion, is a red powder worn by married Hindu women. When a husband dies, tradition often requires the woman to wipe off the sindoor and stop wearing it from then, a sign of mourning and loss.
Many of the victims in the April 22 terrorist attack were husbands and fathers. By choosing this name, India sent a message that the operation was a tribute to those women who had lost their husbands.
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A message to terrorists and their backers
PM Modi stated clearly that the Indian Army had been given full freedom to act, saying, "We have given full freedom to the Indian army to wipe out the terrorists and today every terrorist, every terror organisation knows 'ki hamari behano, betiyon ke maathe se Sindoor hatane ka anjaam kya hota hai'."
He added, "...Aatankiyo ne hamari behano ka Sindoor ujada tha isliye Bharat ne aatank ke headquarters ujaad diye'. Over 100 terrorists were killed..."