Pune: Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday triggered a sharp political debate with his remarks on Operation Sindoor, claiming that India suffered serious setbacks during the initial phase of the operation.
Speaking to reporters in Pune, Chavan said, “On the first day (of Operation Sindoor) we were completely defeated. In the half-hour aerial engagement that took place on the 7th, we were fully defeated, whether people accept it or not. Indian aircraft were shot down.”
He further claimed that the situation forced the Indian Air Force to halt operations, stating, “The Air Force was completely grounded, and not a single aircraft flew. If any aircraft had taken off from Gwalior, Bathinda, or Sirsa, there was a high probability of being shot down by Pakistan, which is why the Air Force was fully grounded.”
