New Delhi: Amid a growing political storm over her controversial remarks on Operation Sindoor, Congress MP Praniti Shinde has categorically refused to apologise to what she described as “BJP trolls and andhbhakts,” doubling down on her criticism of the government’s handling of national security.
Shinde, speaking a day after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers staged angry protests in her hometown Solapur, said, “If the families of the 26 victims are hurt, we are ready to apologise a thousand times. But we will never apologise to the trolls and the blind followers of the BJP. Operation Sindoor was used as a PR stunt, and we stand by that.”
The backlash stems from her fiery intervention in the Lok Sabha, where she called Operation Sindoor a “tamasha” — a word that was later expunged from parliamentary records. Shinde had accused the Modi government of converting national security into a media event for electoral advantage. “No one is telling us what was achieved. How many terrorists were captured? How many aircraft were lost? Whose failure was it?” she questioned.
Her statement infuriated BJP supporters, who staged a dramatic protest in Solapur. Protesters paraded a donkey with Shinde’s photo attached to it, shouting slogans accusing her of dishonouring the armed forces. The demonstration, though criticised by some as distasteful, was meant to symbolise their outrage at what they saw as a betrayal of national interest.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the controversy in Parliament, saying, “She was made to say Operation Sindoor was a ‘tamasha’. That is like throwing acid on the wounds of the 26 Indians martyred in the attack.” His emotional remark was met with loud thumping from the treasury benches.
Despite the heat, Shinde remained defiant. “We will not be bullied into silence. We asked uncomfortable questions. If that is a crime, then I stand guilty,” she said.
