NEW DELHI: Three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack have been killed by Indian forces, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed Parliament on Tuesday.
Initiating a debate on Operation Sindoor in the Rajya Sabha, Singh congratulated the forces for killing three terrorists who were involved in the attack in which 26 people were killed.
"I congratulate the forces for killing three terrorists who carried out Pahalgam terror attack in April. These are the terrorists who killed people in Pahalgam," the Defence Minister said.
He said Home Minister Amit Shah has provided details of the joint operation by the forces in the Lok Sabha.
Singh said post the Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the service chiefs, and gave them freehand to use their wisdom, strategic understanding and regional security situation to decide on the response.
He said the military leadership also showed maturity, and stressed that India's response - Operation Sindoor - was aimed at giving a clear message that India will take strong action and go to any extent against terror.
"Our action was in self defence, it was not expansionist. The aim was to destroy terror infrastructure and give the message of zero tolerance for terror," Singh said.
"The politic-military objective was to punish Pakistan for using terrorism as a proxy war," he added.
Singh said Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) urged India to stop the hostilities, and India accepted it on the condition that the operation would be suspended, not ended.
"If Pakistan commits any terror incidents in future, we will relaunch Operation Sindoor without hesitation," he said.
Earlier, as the Upper House reassembled at 2 pm, after it was adjourned around 11 am, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said the discussion on Operation Sindoor would be taken up, and urged the members to be mindful of the sensitive nature of the issue.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien tried to raise a point of order. Harivansh however did not allow it stating that it was not related to the topic of discussion.
TMC MPs raised slogans against the SIR, and some MPs also trooped into the Well.
As the Chair did not allow the Opposition MPs to speak, MPs from TMC and some other INDIA bloc parties staged a walkout from the House.