‘Bhay Binu Hoi Na Preeti’: Air Chief Marshal Bharti Recites Ramcharitmanas During Operation Sindoor Briefing
In a firm message to Pakistan amid the ongoing military tensions, Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti on Monday termed India’s ongoing offensive as a necessary response to persistent provocations. Speaking at a press conference, the senior Indian Air Force (IAF) officer invoked a powerful verse by renowned Hindi poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar to emphasize the resolve behind India’s actions.
Responding to a question about the symbolic use of Dinkar’s poetry in a recent video presentation by the armed forces, Air Marshal Bharti quoted the Ramcharitmanas: "Vinay na maanat jaladh jad gaye teen din beeti. Bole Ram sakop tab, bhay binu hoye na preeti". Roughly translated, the verse means: "The ocean, unmoved by polite requests, remained obstinate for three days. Then Lord Rama, in anger, said — without fear, love does not arise".
This passage from the Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas highlights a key lesson from the Ramayana, where Lord Rama, initially choosing the path of humility, ultimately resorts to invoking fear to overcome obstacles. After three days of unanswered pleas to the ocean for a path to Lanka, Rama realizes that force is sometimes necessary when politeness fails.
Bharti's remarks come just two days after India and Pakistan reached an understanding to halt all firings and military actions on land, air, and sea. However, India’s decision to launch Operation Sindoor on May 7 underscores its readiness to take decisive action in the face of security threats. The operation aimed at destroying nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (POK) was carried out in direct retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
“The Integrated Air Command and Control system thwarted Pakistan's military offensives. Our fight was against terror infrastructure and terrorists, but the Pakistan military chose to support terrorists and widened the conflict,” the Air Marshal asserted, highlighting the effectiveness of India’s air defense systems in countering Pakistan’s retaliatory attempts.
Reiterating India’s commitment to national defense, Bharti emphasized that all military bases and systems remain fully operational and ready to undertake any mission if the need arises. “All our military bases, all our systems continue to remain fully operational and ready to undertake any future missions should the need so arise,” he stated, reaffirming the operational readiness of the Indian Air Force and its defensive infrastructure.
While maintaining a clear distinction between the fight against terrorism and the involvement of the Pakistani military, Bharti expressed regret over the latter’s actions. “It is a pity that the Pakistani military chose to intervene and that for terrorists, and hence we chose to respond,” he said, underscoring the unfortunate escalation triggered by Pakistan’s support for militant groups.
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