NDA resolves against N-blackmail; says caste census will check Opposition's politics of fragmentation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said Operation Sindoor and the Indian military's precision strikes on Pakistan-based terror hubs demonstrated the success of national defence capacities and the effectiveness of indigenous technologies in fighting terrorism.
He was chairing the meeting of 20 chief ministers and 18 deputy CMs of NDA-ruled states, the first such assembly after India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
The gathering passed two resolutions. The first on Operation Sindoor congratulated the prime minister for his decisive leadership, saluted the bravery of armed forces and resolved never to be deterred by nuclear blackmail.
The resolution proposed by Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma and seconded by Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde said India had proved that whoever challenges it would be reduced to dust and added that the operation had given ordinary citizens a new sense of self-esteem.
Major points of the Operation Sindoor resolution are – the history will remember Operation Sindoor as India's response to those who made the mistake of disturbing its peaceful development journey; the operation mirrors government’s unwavering commitment to national sovereignty and citizens' safety; India will deliver a strong response to terrorism on its own terms; India won't succumb to nuclear blackmail nor will it distinguish between terrorists and governments that promote them.
The second resolution on caste enumeration, moved by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini, hailed PM Modi for the decision and said caste enumeration would help check the opposition's politics of social fragmentation.
"The historic decision of counting caste groups and their numbers for the first time since independence mirrors the government's commitment to social empowerment and inclusion and will advance the objectives of social justice," the resolution read.
It castigated the Congress for not enumerating castes when it was in power for decades. "We are disappointed with the opposition's petty politics on the issue. Despite ruling for decades they did nothing for the cause. The opposition has much to answer for -- from engineering the defeat of BR Ambedkar to denying him the Bharat Ratna; from opposing the Mandal Commission to resisting constitutional status to the backward commission," it said accusing the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government of conducting a faulty socio-economic caste census "shrouded in secrecy".
Sadly, for the Congress caste has become a tool for political expediency, the resolution added.
PM Modi later said the meeting saw various states showcasing best practices in diverse areas, including water conservation, grievance redressal, strengthening administrative frameworks, education, women empowerment, sports and more.
"I emphasised the need to add momentum to our development trajectories and ensure the benefits of a double-engine government reach the people in an effective manner. I also spoke about building stronger synergies in key areas, be it cleanliness, sanitation, health care, youth empowerment, agriculture, technology and more," he said with Union Home Minister Amit Shah making a presentation on India's progress towards elimination of left wing extremism by March 2026.
BJP chief JP Nadda said after the meeting that the NDA did not believe in caste politics and was solely guided by the principles of reaching those left behind in the development journey. This, he said, is clear from the fact that the NDA's policies led to 25 crore Indians exiting poverty in a decade.
The meeting was attended by all top NDA allies -- Bihar CM Nitish Kumar (JDU), Andhra CM N Chandrababu Naidu (TDP), Andhra Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan (Janasena), and Maharashtra Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) and Ajit Pawar (NCP).
