From Nehru To UPA, Amit Shah Lists Congress's Mistakes Against Terrorism, Applauds Operation Mahadev In Lok Sabha

Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the three terrorists neutralised in Operation Mahadev on Monday (28 July) were those who killed 26 innocents on 22 April in Pahalgam during his address in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Elaborating on the government's action after the attack, Shah said, "On 23 April, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) decided to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, which was Congress's mistake and closed the Attari joint post."

The Home Minister added on other diplomatic actions, "Visas granted to all Pakistanis were cancelled and all of them were sent back. The strength of Pakistani diplomats was reduced from 55 to 30."

"On 30 April, in another CCS meeting, the armed forces were given full operational freedom. After which, Operation Sindoor happened, which destroyed Pakistan's nine terrorist centres with precision," Shah continued.

Success of Operation Sindoor

Stating how Operation Sindoor was bigger than 2016 surgical strikes and 2019 airstrikes, he said, "That time we attacked terror centres in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This time we targeted centres 100 kilometres inside Pakistan."

Shah took the names of 10 major terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor and claimed that eight of them were involved in carrying out attacks against India during the United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) rule. In total, over 100 terrorists were killed, he claimed.

The Home Minister also asserted that Pakistan's terrorism is 'state-sponsored terrorism' as apparent from the participation of the Pakistan Army, ISI and police officers in the funeral of the killed terrorists.

"We destroyed 11 airbases of Pakistan. Pakistan's air defence system could not do anything. Air radar systems were also destroyed. They attacked our residential areas, but we only attacked their air force assets," Shah said.

"Pakistan didn't have any option but to surrender and hence, a ceasefire was agreed upon," he said, explaining that the government did not choose to continue the war as it had several costs.

Congress's mistakes

Shah, then called out, the ceasefire ordered by the first Prime Minister (PM) Jawaharlal Nehru that led to the formation of PoK and the Indus Treaty that gave 80 per cent of India's water to Pakistan.

"In 1971, we had 93,000 prisoners of war and 15,000 sq km of Pakistan's land. But in the Simla agreement, there was no mention of the return of the PoK. Instead, we have 15,000 sq km of won land," the Home Minister attacked former PM Indira Gandhi.

Talking about the 1962 India-China war, Shah said, "30,000 sq km of the Aksai Chin area was given to China. Nehru said that the land is so barren that even grass doesn't grow there. Mahaveer Prasad responded by taking a jibe at Nehru's bald head."

Home Minister also quoted Nehru's statement refusing a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), prioritising relations with China. He also questioned Congress's 2008 MoU with China.

"Pakistan is the root of all terrorism and Pakistan is the mistake of the Congress party, which accepted partition to break our country," Shah lamented.

"In 2002, the Atal Bihari government brought a Bill against terrorism, but Congress didn't support it in the Rajya Sabha, where we didn't have a majority. Ultimately, we had to call a Joint Session to get the Bill passed," he added.

Shah listed 27 terror attacks that happened during the UPA rule from 2005 to 2011 and questioned what the Congress did against these attacks. He contrasted it with the NDA rule from 2014 to 2025, where terror attacks were confined to J&K.

The Home Minister also questioned Sonia Gandhi crying for terrorists killed in the Batla House encounter, and said Congress has lost the right to question Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on action against terrorism.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had to intervene as chaos erupted after these statements. Shah then continued, "Our Army and CRPF killed terrorists, while during the UPA rule, these terrorists used to escape."

Improvements in J&K

Shah gave data about how the situation in J&K has improved under the Narendra Modi government, in comparison the previous UPA government.

"From 2004 to 2014, 7,200 terror incidents happened. From 2014 to 2025, there was 70 per cent decrease with 2,150 incidents. Civilian deaths have been reduced by 80 per cent. Security forces deaths have halved, while terrorist deaths have increased by 123 per cent," he said.

He claimed that now terrorists are no longer allowed to have funeral processions, while action against terror sympathisers has been taken. "75 of them were removed from government posts, bar council was suspended. 2,267 cases have been filed under UAPA," he added.

The Home Minister claimed that organised stone-pelting has been reduced to zero, resulting in zero injuries from stone-pelting. Similarly, organised strikes have also been reduced to zero since the abrogation of Article 370.

"Hurriyat leaders got VIP treatment under UPA. Now, all Hurriyat components have been banned, and their leaders are behind bars. Hurriyat was an outfit of terror organisations, and hence we did not talk to them. We talk to the youth of J&K," Shah added.