Bengaluru: Political leaders cutting across party lines in Karnataka Tuesday hailed India’s pre-emptive strikes on terror camps in Pakistan, with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy offering his “salute” to the Indian Air Force.
“My Salute to the Indian Airforce. Jai Jawan. Jai Hind. #IndiaStrikesBack #IndianAirForce,” Kumaraswamy said in a tweet. India conducted a major preemptive strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp early today, killing a “very large number” of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders, Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said.
India’s action comes close to the Pulwama incident in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed in one of the deadliest terror strikes in decades in Jammu and Kashmir. Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara commended the efforts of the Indian Air Force pilots who risked their lives for the country.
“Salute the @IAF_MCC for the massive show of strength. Commendable feat by Indian armed forces and our pilots who risked their lives for the country. Jai Hind!” Parameshwara tweeted.
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed India’s retaliatory action and said it was not a decision taken by the government, but of the armed forces ‘that keep taking such decision from time to time. The entire country should support their action,” he said.
Kharge said all the governments carry out similar strikes and the same has been followed now. “All governments have been carrying out cross firing at the border in the interest of the nation. Our government too carried out similar attacks six times. The same is being followed now,” he told reporters at Afzalpur in Kalaburagi district in north Karnataka. Kharge said Congress had already stated it would support whatever steps the armed forces take in the interest of the nation and to protect the boundaries. There was no ‘second thought that the party continues to support them, he said.
Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Siddaramaiah, calling it surgical strike 2, termed the action as a “big lesson” for Pakistan. “My salute to #indianairforce for carrying out #Surgicalstrike2 on terror camps. A big lesson for Pakistan about how to handle terror groups in their own backyard,” Siddaramaiah said in a tweet.
Karnataka BJP workers celebrated the action by the Indian Air force and central government by bursting crackers, near the party head quarters here. “It’s a day to salute our braves. India has struck the biggest Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorist camp in Balakote. This is#NewIndia, How’s the Josh ?” state BJP chief and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa tweeted.