Operation Sindoor Becomes BJP’s Campaign Weapon: PM Modi Covers 6 States in Eight Days with Nine Rallies
New Delhi: After first breaking his silence on Operation Sindoor on May 12 – a full forty eight hours after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan was announced by US President Donald Trump – Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a blitzkrieg addressing nine rallies in eight days across six states from May 22 to May 31.
In sharp contrast to his silence during Operation Sindoor, at these rallies held in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar, Modi placed himself at the centre of Indian military success. Whether it was warning Pakistan of his “goli” (bullet) – as opposed to the action by the Indian armed forces – or using Operation Sindoor to push his government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative by saying that the military actions had shown “strength of Bharat’s indigenous weapons”.
The prime minister repeatedly invoked the valour of the armed forces as he pushed for ‘Make in India’ weapons and equated his government’s goal of a Viksit Bharat that can only be realised when “armed forces are strong”.
While he made no mention of the derogatory remarks made by his party leaders against women in recent days, Modi touted Operation Sindoor as military action taken to avenge women. This as he laced his speeches with symbolism around sindoor (vermillion), while cutouts of the prime minister in army fatigues and Operation Sindoor branding lined streets along with the rallies that he addressed.
As he sought to claim credit for the success of the military actions following the Pahalgam terror attack, he made no mention of the terrorists responsible for the attack who are yet to be nabbed, or any references to Trump’s continued claims that the US had mediated the ceasefire and trade was used as leverage to bring back the two countries from the brink of a nuclear war.
Bikaner, May 22
Modi kicked off his Operation Sindoor rallies with a visit to Rajasthan amid opposition calls for a special session of parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor and the subsequent four-day long military conflict with Pakistan.
Addressing a rally in Bikaner on May 22, Modi said that it was not blood but “hot sindoor” that flows in his veins.
“Our delegations have gone to different parts of the world and Pakistan’s true face will be shown to the world. Pakistan can never win a direct war with India. Whenever a direct war happens Pakistan has to bite dust. That is why Pakistan has made terror a weapon in its fight against India. This has been going on for decades after Independence. But now Pakistan has forgotten that Ma Bharati’s Sena Modi is standing here. Modi’s head is cool but his blood is hot. Now in Modi’s veins not blood, but hot sindoor is flowing,” he said.
Dahod, May 26
Four days later, Modi conducted a two-day visit to his home state of Gujarat where women in red sarees and caps that read ‘Operation Sindoor’ were lined up as the prime minister conducted road shows.
“When someone dares to wipe the sindoor (vermilion) from the foreheads of our sisters, their own destruction becomes inevitable. Therefore, Operation Sindoor is not merely a military action – it is a reflection of Indian values and emotions. The terrorists could never have imagined, even in their wildest dreams, how difficult it is to challenge Modi. Keep waving the tricolour high and think about the honour it represents,” said Modi.
Addressing himself in third person, Modi delivered an emotive speech where he raked up the Pahalgam terror attack but made no mention of the status of investigation into the attackers.
“Think about it… a father was shot in front of his children. When I see those images even today, my blood boils. The terrorists had challenged 140 crore Indians. That is why Modi did what the people of India and you had bestowed upon me the responsibility as pradhan sevak (prime servant). Modi gave our three armed forces a free hand,” he said.
“What our brave soldiers achieved has not been witnessed by the world in several decades. We identified nine major terrorist hideouts operating across the border, confirmed their exact locations, and on the night of the 6th, within just 22 minutes, we ground them to dust for what they did on the 22nd,” he said referring to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and India’s May 7 strikes on nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Invoking the armed forces’ valour and strength, Modi then went on to say that “Viksit Bharat can only be realised when our armed forces are strong and our economy is robust.”
Bhuj, May 26
On May 26, addressing a rally in Bhuj, Modi equated Pakistan’s drone strikes on Gujarat with the fact that it was his home state.
“On the night of the 9th, drones appeared even along our Kutch border. They thought that since Modi is from Gujarat, they would try to make a mark here – but they didn’t know who they were dealing with,” he said.
Modi said that the women who had fought in the 1971 war had gifted him a tree of sindoor plant.
“Today, I am fortunate that these warrior women from the 1971 war have come to bless me. Not only that, they also gave me a plant of the sindoor tree. Mothers and sisters – this plant that you’ve given me will now be planted at the Prime Minister’s House. This sindoor tree will grow and stand tall like a ‘Vat Vriksha’ (great banyan tree),” he said.
Modi then went on to point to the citizens of Pakistan, its youth and said that the Pakistani government and army are supporting terrorism and the people of Pakistan must come forward “to free Pakistan from the disease of terrorism”. The prime minister said that the people of Pakistan should remember that his bullet is ready.
“To free Pakistan from the disease of terrorism, the people of Pakistan must come forward. The youth of Pakistan must take a stand – Sukh chain ki zindagi jeeyo, roti khao, warna meri goli toh hai hi (Live a life of peace and dignity, eat your bread in peace, otherwise my bullet is ready).”
Gandhinagar, May 27
On May 27, in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, Modi once again raked up Operation Sindoor and in a swipe at China without naming it, pushed for abandoning goods from the country as “even Ganesh ji comes as a foreigner” with “small eyes” that “are not opening”.
“Let us decide that in 2047, when India will be celebrating its 100th year of independence, to make India developed and to take its economy from number 4 to number 3, we will not use any foreign product. We should make traders take an oath in every village that no matter how much profit they make, they will not sell foreign products. But see the misfortune, even Ganesh ji comes as a foreigner. Small-eyed Ganesh ji will come. Ganesh ji’s eyes are also not opening,” he said.
For Operation Sindoor, Modi said, citizens should make a list of foreign products being used, and sought to rally people using the military action.
“Actually, as a citizen, you have to do one thing for Operation Sindoor. Go to your homes and make a list of how many foreign products are used in your homes in 24 hours from morning to the next morning. You do not even know, you use foreign hairpins, combs are also foreign, the pins used for teeth are also foreign, we do not even know. We don’t know friends. If we have to save the country, build the country, grow the country, then Operation Sindoor is not the responsibility of the soldiers alone. Operation Sindoor is the responsibility of 140 crore citizens,” he said.
Sikkim, May 29
While Modi’s visit to Sikkim on May 29 had to be cancelled due to bad weather, in an online address to mark 50 years of its statehood, the prime minister once again referred to Operation Sindoor.
“Infuriated by the destruction of its terrorist bases, Pakistan attempted to retaliate by targeting our civilians and soldiers. Yet even in that, Pakistan’s duplicity was exposed. In response, we destroyed several of their airbases, demonstrating to the world what Bharat is capable of – how swiftly, how precisely, and how decisively we can act,” he said.
Alipurduar, May 29
Addressing a rally in West Bengal’s Alipurduar on May 29, ahead of the assembly elections in the state next year, Modi, in his speech, linked Operation Sindoor with sindoor khela, a ritual that marks the end of the ten-day Durga Puja festivities in Bengal, where women smear each other with vermilion on Vijayadashami.
“Today, when I have come to the land of ‘sindoor khela‘, I will naturally discuss India’s new resolve against terrorism. The terrorists dared to erase the sindoor of our sisters. So our Army made them realise the power of the sindoor. We destroyed the terror bases in Pakistan, which Pakistan could not imagine,” he said.
Karakat, May 30
On May 30, addressing a rally in another poll-bound state – Bihar – where elections are scheduled for later this year, Modi referred to his first public remarks following the Pahalgam terror attack in Madhubani in April and said that he delivered the promise he had made then and world had seen the “power” of sindoor.
“A day after this heinous terrorist attack, I came to Bihar and from the land of Bihar, I had made a promise to the country, on the land of Bihar, looking into the eyes, we had said that the hideouts of the masters of terror will be razed to the ground. On this land of Bihar, I had said that they will get a punishment worse than imagined. Today when I have come to Bihar, I have come after fulfilling my promise,” he said.
“Those people who sat in Pakistan and destroyed the sindoor of our sisters, their hideouts have been turned into ruins by our army. Pakistan and the world saw the power of the sindoor of Indian daughters.”
Kanpur, May 30
On May 30, Modi attended a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur and said that the developmental projects he was to inaugurate were originally scheduled for April 24 but had to be cancelled due to the Pahalgam terror attack.
“This development program in Kanpur was originally scheduled for April 24, but I had to cancel my visit to Kanpur due to the Pahalgam attack. In that cowardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, our son from Kanpur, Shubham Dwivedi, also became a victim of this brutality. We can all feel the pain, the suffering, and the inner anger of his daughter Aishanya. That very anger of our daughters and sisters was seen by the whole world in the form of Operation Sindoor,” he said.
In Kanpur, he used Operation Sindoor to reiterate his government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and said that the military actions had shown “strength of Bharat’s indigenous weapons”.
“Making Bharat self-reliant in defence is not only important for our economy – it is equally crucial for our national pride. That’s why we launched the ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’ campaign, to free the nation from this dependence. And it’s a matter of pride for all of Uttar Pradesh that it is playing a major role in this journey toward self-reliance in the defence sector,” he said.
Bhopal, May 31
Addressing a rally in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal on May 31, Modi said that “Operation Sindoor has become a powerful symbol of the strength of our women.”
“In Pahalgam, terrorists have not only spilled the blood of Indians, but they have also launched an attack on our culture. They have attempted to sow division within our society. Most significantly, these terrorists have directly challenged the women of Bharat. That very challenge has sounded the death knell for the terrorists and their backers. ‘Operation Sindoor’ stands as the largest and most successful counter-terrorism operation in Bharat’s history,” he said.
“From now on, we shall not merely defend – we shall retaliate. We will strike at the heart of those who shelter and support terrorism, and they will be made to pay dearly. Today, every Indian citizen, the unified voice of 140 crore Indians, is declaring: ‘Agar tum goli chalaoge, goli ka jawab gole mein diya jayega (If you fire a bullet, be prepared that we will respond to bullets with cannons)’,” he said.
