Our soldiers kill terrorists because of their deeds, not religion: Rajnath

jodhpur: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday asserted that Indian forces gave a “befitting reply” to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and “our soldiers did not kill terrorists based on their religion, but because of their deeds”.

Addressing an event here, Singh also lauded the people of border areas for supporting the administration and the armed forces during the military operation to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack.

The Defence minister said that after the incident, he called the service chiefs and asked if they were ready for the operation.

“The chiefs of all three armed forces unanimously replied, ‘We are ready for any operation.’ This is India. The Prime Minister gave the necessary directives,” he said.

“The target that was decided was hit precisely, just as planned. During Operation Sindoor, our forces received full support from all border regions. India is a country that not only considers people within its borders as members but also regards people across the world as part of its family, spreading the message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.”

“India does not discriminate based on caste or religion. However, terrorists killed people after identifying their religion. Our soldiers did not kill the terrorists based on religion but because of their deeds,” he said.

Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts in the education sector, Singh said a significant transformation had taken place over the years that will help the country achieve new heights.

Elaborating on India’s history, he said that when people in other parts of the world were living in caves, Indian sages were writing the Natya Shastra.

“When the world did not understand the causes of diseases, India had doctors like Sushruta. Knowledge of medicinal plants like turmeric, neem and ashwagandha existed, which scientists now acknowledge,” he said.

During the event, he inaugurated a sports academy in Jodhpur. Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other leaders were also present on the occasion.