New Delhi, July 30, 2025 — Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, declaring that Operation Mahadev was a decisive and deliberate act of justice in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, not an act of revenge. Speaking during the debate on Operation Sindoor, Shah said that the three terrorists killed in Operation Mahadev were members of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, and their identities were confirmed during the investigation. He emphasized that the brutality of the Pahalgam incident where victims were asked their religion before being murdered in front of women and children demanded strong and exemplary action.
The Home Minister asserted that the families of the victims and many citizens had demanded swift retribution, expressing their desire to see the terrorists shot in the head. “They met the same fate,” Shah said, underlining the government’s resolve to hold perpetrators accountable.
As Shah began his remarks, members of the Opposition raised objections and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi address the House instead. Their demand was denied by the Chair, prompting a walkout. Undeterred, Shah continued, responding to criticism from Congress leaders including P Chidambaram, who had demanded the Home Minister’s resignation and questioned the evidence linking the terrorists to Pakistan.
Shah accused the Congress party of prioritizing vote-bank politics over national security and claimed that its leaders were indirectly supporting Pakistan and terror outfits by undermining the government’s counterterrorism efforts. He said Chidambaram’s statements revealed a mentality that compromises with national interest for political gain.
Taking a dig at Congress leader Prithviraj Chauhan, who questioned the naming of the encounter as “Operation Mahadev,” Shah explained that such names are rooted in historical and cultural traditions. He reminded the House that when Shivaji Maharaj led resistance against the Mughals, the war cry was “Har Har Mahadev,” adding that similar slogans are commonly used by Indian Army units and do not imply religious bias.
Clarifying operational details, Shah said that security forces comprising the CRPF, Indian Army, and J&K Police — tracked the terrorists in challenging terrain with the help of drone-supplied rations and successfully neutralized them. The operation, according to Shah, was a culmination of strategic surveillance and precise execution, ensuring justice for the Pahalgam victims.
