Echoes of the enemy: Rahul Gandhi’s reckless distortion of EAM S Jaishankar’s words undermines India and aids Pakistan
By deliberately misquoting India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar and parroting false Pakistani narratives, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has once again demonstrated an alarming recklessness that undermines India’s national security and morale. His recent remarks about Operation Sindoor—a successful surgical strike against terror infrastructure across the border—are not just factually incorrect but disturbingly aligned with enemy propaganda.
Operation Sindoor, conducted by Indian forces on the night of May 7–8, 2025, was a swift, precise, and successful operation that dismantled nine major terror bases in Pakistan-occupied territory. The operation, lasting just 23 minutes, was a testament to the precision of Indian intelligence, the professionalism of the armed forces, and the decisiveness of the political leadership.
In the aftermath of the operation, most of India—including many in the opposition—rallied behind the government, applauding the armed forces for their effectiveness. But Rahul Gandhi chose a different path: one that casts doubts, spreads misinformation, and gives ammunition to India’s adversaries.
On May 10, Rahul Gandhi posted a video snippet of EAM S. Jaishankar with the caption:
“Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it. Who authorised it?”
This statement is a gross distortion of Jaishankar’s actual words. What the EAM clearly said was:
“At the start of the operation, we had sent a message to Pakistan saying we are striking at terrorist infrastructure. We are not striking at the military. So, the military has an option of standing out, and not interfere in this process. They chose not to take this good advice.”
Nowhere in this does Jaishankar admit that Pakistan was informed before the strikes began. In fact, the timeline confirmed by Indian defence authorities and fact-checked by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) proves that by the time the message reached Pakistani officials, the operation was already over. This is not “informing Pakistan in advance”; this is a classic post-strike diplomatic move—intended to prevent escalation by clarifying intent and scope.
Rahul Gandhi’s twisting of this narrative reveals either a shocking ignorance of military protocol or a willful attempt to discredit India’s institutions. Worse still, he parrots Pakistani disinformation by asking,
“How many aircraft did our airforce lose as a result?”
There is no official report or credible evidence of India losing any aircraft during Operation Sindoor. Yet, Pakistan’s military establishment—embarrassed by their inability to stop or even detect the strike—has floated unverifiable claims of shooting down Indian jets. These claims have been widely dismissed as face-saving lies, much like their infamous denial after the Balakot airstrikes.
By repeating such claims, Rahul Gandhi is not “asking questions” in a democratic spirit—he is legitimizing enemy propaganda, sowing distrust among the Indian public, and attempting to defame the armed forces. When the leader of India’s oldest political party begins to echo the disinformation spread by a hostile neighbour, it ceases to be a political critique and becomes a serious national concern.
This is not the first time Gandhi has played into the hands of hostile foreign interests. His past statements on Pulwama, Balakot, and even the Galwan clash have often served as talking points for Pakistan and China. But with Operation Sindoor, he has crossed a red line—undermining the credibility of our External Affairs Minister, casting aspersions on a successful military operation, and echoing the lies of the Pakistani deep state.
National security cannot be held hostage to petty political games. Leaders—especially those with the privilege of a Parliament seat—must rise above partisan instincts and speak with responsibility, especially in matters of war and peace. Misquoting ministers, doubting the armed forces, and legitimizing enemy propaganda is not opposition politics—it is sabotage from within.
It’s time for Rahul Gandhi to introspect: Does he want to be a leader who strengthens India, or one whose words embolden its enemies? Because when facts are twisted and falsehoods are spread from within, the damage is far worse than any attack from across the border.
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