PM used armed forces to protect his image: Rahul

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of leveraging the armed forces to bolster his personal image rather than to serve India’s strategic interests.

Participating in the debate on Operation Sindoor, Rahul questioned the government’s intent and alleged that political optics were prioritised over military objectives.

“Yesterday, Rajnath Singh said Operation Sindoor began at 1.05 am and lasted 22 minutes. The most shocking revelation was that at 1.35 am, India called Pakistan to inform them that we had hit only non-military targets and did not wish for any escalation,” he said, quoting the Defence Minister.

Calling it an “immediate surrender of political will”, Rahul claimed that by assuring Pakistan of restraint, the government limited the Air Force’s operational scope. “The DGMO was instructed to ask for a ceasefire at 1.35 am — barely half an hour after the strike. This was not strategic clarity; it was political compromise,” he alleged.

He further cited comments reportedly made by India’s defence attaché in Indonesia, suggesting that aircraft losses occurred because of political constraints on targeting. “The Modi government sent pilots into hostile territory and asked them not to hit military assets,” he charged.

Referencing Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan’s earlier remark about tactical corrections in follow-up strikes, Rahul said: “The IAF made no tactical mistake. The only mistake was sending them in with one hand tied behind their backs.”

He went on to claim that the objective of Operation Sindoor was not national security, but shielding the PM from criticism after the Pahalgam terror attack. “The PM had the blood of the victims on his hands and used the Air Force to protect his image,” Rahul said.

He also invoked US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. “Trump has said 29 times that he helped stop escalation. If he’s lying, PM Modi should stand up and say so — like Indira Gandhi would have,” he challenged.

Warning against politicisation of the armed forces, the Congress leader said: “It’s dangerous for India when the PM uses the military for personal branding. You don’t leash a tiger if you want it to fight. If you want to fight, fight to win.”

He also raised concerns over Trump allegedly inviting Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir for lunch, calling it a grave insult to India’s fight against terrorism.

“Why hasn’t the PM said anything? Why didn’t he say, ‘How dare Trump invite Munir?’” Rahul asked, banging the table —prompting Speaker Om Birla to intervene.

Rahul then turned his ire towards External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, accusing him of failing India’s foreign policy while falsely claiming that India has deterred Pakistan.

“Field Marshal Munir, US General Michael Kurilla and Generals from four Central Asian countries are currently attending a conference on counter-terrorism. While we go around telling the world that Pakistan sponsors terrorism, the US is not only engaging with Munir but also discussing cooperation with him,” he said.

“What planet is the Foreign Minister on?” Rahul asked, criticising Jaishankar’s recent claim that India had successfully deterred Pakistan.