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Rahul Gandhi escalates attack on EAM Jaishankar over Operation Sindoor, triggering political outrage with questions on IAF aircraft losses.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday intensified his attack on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar over the Centre’s handling of Operation Sindoor, reiterating his explosive question on how many Indian Air Force aircraft were lost due to forewarning given to Pakistan.
In a fresh post on X, Gandhi termed Jaishankar’s silence on the matter “damning” and doubled down on his accusation that informing Pakistan at the beginning of India’s offensive was “a crime”.
“EAM Jaishankar’s silence isn’t just telling — it’s damning. So I’ll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew?” Gandhi said in the post. “This wasn’t a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth,” he added.
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MEA on Rahul Gandhi's accusations against Jaishankar's "warned Pak" about 'Operation Sindoor' remark
Calling it an "utter misrepresentation of facts," the Ministry of External Affairs rebutted Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's accusations against External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that the government "informed Pakistan" before the start of 'Operation Sindoor.'
According to XP Division of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Jaishankar had said that India had warned Pakistan at an early phase after Operation Sindoor's commencement.
XP Division, MEA stated, "EAM had stated that we had warned Pakistan at the start, which is clearly the early phase after Op Sindoor's commencement. This is being falsely represented as being before the commencement. This utter misrepresentation of facts is being called out."
The Congress leader’s remarks come just two days after his initial comments on Operation Sindoor and the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, which followed a series of retaliatory strikes between the two nations.
In a video shared alongside his post, Gandhi pointed to Jaishankar’s recent statement: “Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it. 1. Who authorised it? 2. How many aircraft did our airforce lose as a result?"
The External Affairs Minister had made this statement during a media interaction on May 17, where he referred to a communication from India’s Director General of Military Operations Lt General Rajiv Ghai to his Pakistani counterpart Major General Kashif Abdullah after the operation began.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) swiftly responded to Rahul Gandhi’s charges, calling them an “utter misrepresentation of facts.” In a statement, the MEA said: “External Affairs Minister had stated that we had warned Pakistan at the start, which is clearly the early phase after Op Sindoor’s commencement. This is being falsely represented as being before the commencement.”
Political Storm Erupts Over Rahul Gandhi's Remarks
However, Gandhi’s remarks have triggered a larger political storm. BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “Rahul Gandhi’s bizarre lies making it to Pakistani media. Both speak the same language…Is it a mere co incidence??”
BJP Spokesperson Amit Malviya too slammed Rahul Gandhi over his ‘daftness’. “Rahul Gandhi’s daftness is not merely incidental—it is sinister. He is speaking the language of Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi must desist from distorting facts. India knows who he truly speaks for,” he said in a post on X reiterating DGMO's statement from May 11 briefing.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore echoed his leader’s sentiments, accusing the government of a breach of operational secrecy.
"On May 17, 2025, the Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi asked a serious and specific question: 'How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew in advance?" This came after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in a recent interview, admitted that India informed Pakistan ahead of #OperationSindoor -- a sensitive military mission. In any parliamentary democracy, ministers are duty-bound to respond when the Opposition raises matters of national security. Yet, the EAM has remained silent. This silence raises grave questions: Why was Pakistan informed in advance? Who authorised this breach of operational secrecy? What consequences did our armed forces face because of it? This was not a routine decision. It was not a diplomatic formality. If Indian aircraft were lost because of foreknowledge given to the enemy -- this isn't a lapse. It's a betrayal. The nation deserves the truth. Parliament deserves accountability. And those responsible must be held to account," Tagore posted on X.
Earlier this month, India launched Operation Sindoor in response to a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 civilians. Between 1 am and 1:30 am on May 7, the Indian Armed Forces struck nine terror sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, targeting infrastructure linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The strikes is said to have eliminated over 100 terrorists.
Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling and attempted drone incursions, following which India launched coordinated airstrikes damaging military assets at 11 Pakistani airbases. An understanding to cease hostilities was announced on May 10.
(With inputs from ANI)
