New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) In a charged intervention during the Lok Sabha debate on Operation Sindoor, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi raised pointed questions about the government’s strategic coherence, diplomatic posture, and symbolic messaging in the aftermath of India’s retaliatory strikes against Pakistan-based terror infrastructure.

Owaisi began by acknowledging the bravery of the Indian armed forces, stating that the military had responded with courage and precision. However, he sharply criticised what he described as the government’s selective nationalism, questioning why praise for Indian pilots was withheld while foreign leaders, including the US President, were allowed to frame the ceasefire narrative.

“A white man sitting in the White House announces ceasefire—this is your nationalism?” Owaisi asked, adding that India is a sovereign country and should not allow external powers to dictate its strategic decisions.

He challenged the government’s decision to continue sporting ties with Pakistan, particularly cricket matches, despite its stated position that “blood and water cannot flow together”.

Owaisi argued that if trade and border movement were suspended, then cultural and sporting exchanges should also be halted.

“On what grounds are you going to play cricket with them?” he asked, calling it a contradiction that undermines the seriousness of India’s counter-terror stance.

The AIMIM leader also raised concerns about accountability within the security establishment, suggesting that if lapses occur at the LG, intelligence or police lavel action must follow. He questioned the government’s silence on whether China had supplied arms to Pakistan and asked why no diplomatic protest had been lodged.

Owaisi invoked historical figures such as Tito and Charles de Gaulle to argue that sovereign nations must act independently, and referenced former Prime Minister IK Gujral’s refusal to compromise on national security despite being labelled weak.

He pressed for clarity on Defence procurement, asking whether France had withheld source codes for fighter jets and pointing out that while India has only 29 functioning Squadrons against sanctioned 42, while Pakistan has 25, China possesses over 50 squadrons and a more advanced submarine fleet. He urged the government to push for renewed international pressure on Pakistan through mechanisms like FATF (Financial Action Task Force).

In a poetic flourish, Owaisi quoted revolutionary Ashfaqulla Khan—“Apne haathon se sir katana hai”—to underscore the need for self-reliant and uncompromising national defence.

The speech concluded with a question — if China had asked us to opt for cease fire? And made a call to depoliticise national security and foreign policy, warning that contradictions in messaging and action could erode public trust and strategic credibility.

–IANS

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