Govt briefs Opposition on Op Sindoor: 3 things different from 2016, 2019 strikes

The Central government will hold an all-party meeting to brief leaders, both from within the government and the Opposition, on Operation Sindoor on Thursday. The meeting comes a day after India retaliated to the Pahalgam attack by launching precision strikes targeting terror hubs in PoK and Pakistan.

During the meeting, the centre will brief leaders about the objectives of Operation Sindoor, the targets that have been hit, its impact on security and India’s preparedness in the event of Pakistani retaliation, if any.

This time around, the Opposition has shown full support to the BJP-led central government over its actions to avenge the deaths of 26 people that died in Pahalgam on April 22, a significant shift in tone as compared to the previous missions carried out by India in 2016 and 2019.

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Here’s how things are different in 2025 than it was five to nine years ago:

When Opp’n raised eyebrows over Uri surgical strikes

In 2016, the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a surgical strike in response to the Uri attacks that killed many Indian Army personnel. This operation was met with scepticism from many opposition leaders, with many demanding evidence of the mission.

Following the surgical strikes, the then-foreign minister Sushma Swaraj had personally visited Sonia Gandhi, who was the Congress chief at the time, to brief her about the government’s operation across LoC. While Gandhi backed the government over the strikes, Rahul Gandhi, who initially lauded the government, accused PM Modi of “playing politics over the blood of jawans”.

Balakot air strikes: Same story, different year

The story was the same in 2019 when the government conducted the Balakot air strikes to retaliate against the Pulwama attacks. Some Congress leaders demanded proof of the airstrikes’ success, leading to political debates and accusations of politicising national security. The BJP criticised these demands, suggesting they undermined the armed forces’ efforts.

At the time, 21 opposition leaders released a statement saying they were “anguished” by the “blatant politicisation” of the sacrifices of armed forces by the BJP.

How are things different this time?

Following Wednesday’s operation, leaders from different opposition parties lauded the armed forces for the successful conduction of the mission, with some even praising the BJP-led government.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) has expressed “full support” for the armed forces, emphasising that it is a “time for unity.” The Congress has also decided to suspend all scheduled party activities.

Apart from this, the Pahalgam terror attack, resulting in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists, has evoked a sentimental response from the public. The widespread outrage and grief made it pertinent for political parties to stick together and present a united front in support of action against terrorism.