VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, alongside Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, BJP State president Daggubati Purandeswari, ministers, public representatives, and thousands of Vijayawada citizens, led a spirited Tiranga Rally through the city’s main thoroughfare on Friday evening to mark the triumph of Operation Sindoor.
Flagged off at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium, the 3 km march to Benz Circle saw participants waving tricolour and chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, honouring the Indian Armed Forces’ courage and patriotism. Students, NGOs and civil society members, including ministers Nadendla Manohar, Satya Kumar Yadav, Kolusu Parthasarathy, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath, MLAs Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, Gadde Ram Mohan, Kolikapudi Srinivasa Rao, and NTR District Collector G Lakshmisha participated in the rally with great enthusiasm.
Naidu hailed Operation Sindoor as a resolute response to the Pahalgam attack, where terrorists killed innocent civilians, leaving several women widowed. He warned Pakistan that its strategies against India would fail, declaring that any assault would be met with severe repercussions.
Naidu saluted the armed forces’ sacrifices, crediting their vigilance for national safety, and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s steadfast leadership in eradicating global terrorism. He envisioned India as a top global power by 2047, driven by its defence prowess and economic growth. He also hailed Pingali Venkaiah, the tricolour’s designer from the region, noting the Indian flag’s universal significance.
Pawan Kalyan accused Pakistan of nurturing terrorism since the 1947 partition, unable to accept India’s economic development. He asserted that peace talks are futile, and vowed that India would retaliate strongly against attacks.
He paid tributes to Jawan Murali Naik, who died during Operation Sindoor, calling him a true patriot, unlike celebrities who merely entertain. He urged citizens to counter pseudo-secular narratives that undermine the military and expressed solidarity with Modi’s anti-terrorism vision.
Purandeswari commended the Central government’s decisive actions, including destroying Pakistan’s air bases, and highlighted India’s strong leadership since 2014. The rally underscored national unity, with participants celebrating the armed forces’ role in deterring future threats.
Naidu emphasised that the tricolour inspires pride worldwide, while the sacrifices of soldiers like Murali Naik fuel India’s resolve. The event concluded with a pledge to support Modi’s mission for a secure, prosperous India, reinforcing the nation’s commitment to combating terrorism.