The government on Saturday dismissed as "deliberately misleading and factually incorrect" social media posts that it said misrepresented Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks in Parliament on Operation Sindoor.
In a statement, the Defence Ministry said certain posts had "selectively quoted an isolated portion" of Singh's address in Parliament on July 28, 2025, to falsely suggest that he had claimed no Indian soldier was killed during the operation.
The clarification came after Congress leader Pawan Khera accused the government of concealing the sacrifice of six military personnel who died during Operation Sindoor.
Sharing a video clip of Singh's parliamentary speech, Khera alleged that either the defence minister was unaware of the casualties or had "chose to mislead Parliament".
Without naming anyone, the ministry said those attempting to "construct a controversy" had ignored the full context of the minister's remarks.
"It must be recalled that at the time of the defence minister's address, a particularly persistent and dominant narrative had taken hold, both in certain sections of the media and on social media, which claimed that Indian pilots had been lost during Operation Sindoor," the statement said.
"This narrative was entirely false, yet it was being amplified aggressively with the clear intent of diminishing the success of the operation and demoralising public sentiment," it added.
According to the ministry, Singh's remarks were aimed specifically at rebutting claims about Indian Air Force pilot casualties.
"It was in direct reference to this specific and mischievous narrative that the defence minister had made the statement," the ministry said.
"His remarks were, therefore, a targeted and contextually specific response to a falsehood that was gaining dangerous traction at that moment."
The ministry also underscored that the sacrifice of six military personnel, five Army soldiers and one Indian Air Force serviceman, had never been concealed.
Their names have been inscribed on the National War Memorial and added to the Roll of Honours on the memorial's website, it said.
The Congress on Friday alleged that the BJP-led government had hidden the deaths of the six personnel from the public for a year.
Reiterating its position, the Defence Ministry said, "The Government of India remain steadfast in their respect, gratitude, and reverence for every member of the Indian defence forces, and above all, for those who have laid down their lives in the defence of the nation."
"Their sacrifice is the highest form of service to the motherland, and it will always be honoured with the dignity, pride, and solemnity it deserves," it added.
The ministry said the government had also extended education, healthcare and other welfare benefits to the families and dependents of the fallen personnel.
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Indian forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, while subsequent military actions and counter-offensives against Pakistan were also carried out under the operation.
Hostilities ended after the two sides reached an understanding on May 10.
Defending Singh's parliamentary statement, the ministry said his address was "a proud and accurate account of the remarkable success of Operation Sindoor".
"During the operation, more than 100 terrorists and Pakistani soldiers were neutralised, as also Pakistani Air Bases and deployment along the Line of Control suffered extensive and significant infrastructure damage," it said.
The address was a "fitting tribute" to the courage and capability of the Indian defence forces, and a "clear message to those who wish India harm," the ministry added.
(With inputs from PTI)
