Freetown [Sierra Leone], May 31 : The all-party delegation, led by Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, departed from Sierra Leone on Saturday for Liberia as part of India's efforts to reach out to partner countries to highlight its fight against cross-border terrorism and its policy of zero-tolerance to terrorism.
Earlier in the day, Shinde called on the Indian community in Sierra Leone to diplomatically isolate and morally condemn Pakistan for its continued support of terrorism, highlighting a long history of betrayal in response to India's consistent efforts to promote peace.
During a press interaction in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Saturday, Shinde, along with BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj and BJP leader SS Ahluwalia, emphasised India's strategic response through Operation Sindoor while underscoring the need to combat terrorism globally, particularly in light of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Shinde noted that Pakistan had backstabbed India time and time again despite Indian Prime Ministers personally visiting the neighbouring country to initiate peace efforts.
He added that Indian citizens don't want war, but this time the attack was not on the citizens but on humanity; that is why Operation Sindoor happened.
"We are a peace-loving nation... Our Prime Ministers personally visited Pakistan and made a number of declarations... We always initiated peace talks with our neighbouring nation, Pakistan. But every time we were backstabbed by the terrorist attacks... Our citizens don't want war, but why did this Operation Sindoor happen? Because we were continuously attacked, and this time the attack was not on our citizens but on humanity... To defend our citizens and nation, we had to undertake this Operation Sindoor... But we only targeted terror camps," Shinde stated.
In the context of Operation Sindoor and India's continued fight against cross-border terrorism, seven all-party delegations are visiting key partner countries, including members of the UN Security Council.
The all-party delegations are projecting India's national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all forms and manifestations. They are carrying forth the country's strong message of zero tolerance against terrorism to the world.
In this vein, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde is leading a delegation which includes BJP MP Atul Garg and Manan Kumar Mishra, BJD MP Sasmit Patra, Indian Union Muslim League's ET Mohammed Basheer and former Ambassador Sujan Chinoy.
Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 as a decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack by Pak-sponsored terrorists in which 26 people were killed. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
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