Mhow veterans laud surgical strikes

Army veterans of Mhow have lauded the army for carrying out the “well-planned and well-executed” surgical strikes along the de-facto border with Pakistan, saying India has finally become assertive militarily.

Army veterans of Mhow have lauded the army for carrying out the “well-planned and well-executed” surgical strikes along the de-facto border with Pakistan, saying India has finally become assertive militarily.

People celebrate the army’s surgical strikes along the Line of Control in Indore on Thursday.(Shankar Mourya/HT photo)

Lt Gen Vijay Madan (retd), a former commandant of the Army War College, Mhow, said that though there was no need for chest-thumping, we must see the benefits of these strikes for India.

“The most important thing is that Pakistan’s nuclear bluff has been called. They cannot drop a nuclear bomb at the drop of a hat. In addition to this, our special forces have shown – whether it’s in Myanmar or Pakistan – they are capable of eliminating threats across our borders with utmost efficiency,” Madan said.

“The Indian action has also shattered the soon-to-retire Pakistani General Raheel Shareef’s dream of showing himself as Pakistan’s saviour,” he added.

Lt Col Anurag Shukla (retd), a veteran Infantry officer, said he could not describe his happiness in words.

“For a soldier, his honour is supreme, and that had been tarnished at Uri. The Indian Army has shown that it is the best. Striking at will, despite a high alert in PoK, with no casualties, shows how well-planned and well-executed the operation was. We have to be ready to face its reprisals,” he said.

Lt Col Shyam Sunder Sharma (retd), a Shaurya Chakra awardee for his bravery in the Kashmir Valley, said, “Political had always been missing for such action. Kudos to the government for showing the green flag to the Army. This action changes the equation of the game.”

Col AK Ram Singh (retd) of the Armoured Corps, who has also served in counter-insurgency operations, said, “These strikes are a masterpiece of intelligence gathering, planning and execution. They hit Pakistan where it hurts the most. Sponsoring terrorism using a nuclear shield will not be possible for Pakistan anymore.”