BJP holds 'Tiranga Yatra' in Bengaluru in support of Indian armed forces

The Yatra is part of a larger nationwide campaign, initiated by the BJP’s Minority Morcha under the banner of Operation Sindoor.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday held a ‘Tiranga Yatra’ to express solidarity with the Indian armed forces following Operation Sindoor, a military operation that reportedly targeted nine terrorist locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy led the march.(X/ANI)

Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy led the march, which saw several party workers and citizens waving the tricolor and raising slogans in support of the country’s defence forces, news agency PTI reported.

Addressing reporters during the rally, Karandlaje said, “Pakistan-backed terrorists targeted innocent people in Pahalgam after asking their religion. Our brave jawans gave a fitting reply. This is the time to stand united with the country, the government, and our armed forces.”

Karandlaje further added that Pakistan had repeatedly proven itself untrustworthy, saying, “They don't export technology or innovation, only terrorism. That’s why the global community continues to isolate them.”

The Yatra is part of a larger nationwide campaign titled “Nagrik Tiranga Yatra for National Security”, initiated by the BJP’s Minority Morcha under the banner of Operation Sindoor. The initiative aims to promote patriotism and bolster the morale of Indian armed forces through public participation and symbolic marches.

According to Jamal Siddiqui, National President of the BJP Minority Morcha, the campaign officially began Saturday after a virtual strategy meeting involving national and state-level office bearers. BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam was present as the chief guest.

Siddiqui said the Yatra is intended to send a strong message that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the country’s security is uncompromised. “Operation Sindoor is more than a campaign—it’s a citizen-driven movement for national pride. The time will come when terrorism and its source, Pakistan, will be erased from the global map,” he said.

Over 14,000 Sufi followers are expected to take part in the Yatra, offering prayers for Indian soldiers at major shrines including Ajmer Sharif, Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, Kaliyar Sharif, and Shams Turk Dargah in Panipat. Religious leaders from other faiths will also be involved, with prayers planned at gurdwaras, churches, mosques, and temples.

The campaign, which will unfold in phases across state capitals, districts, tehsils, and villages, emphasizes that national security is a shared responsibility, not just that of the army. Citizens will carry long national flags, chant slogans like “We Stand with the Army” and “Nation with Operation Sindoor,” and avoid political imagery beyond the campaign’s official visuals, including those of PM Modi and the armed forces.

Ex-servicemen, their families, students, and religious leaders have been invited to join the Yatra, which is expected to be peaceful, disciplined, and deeply symbolic. Monitoring teams at the state and district levels will oversee the campaign’s implementation.