Congress MP Praniti Shinde, daughter of former Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, has reignited political tensions by echoing what many believe is a familiar anti-Bharat rhetoric. Known for her unwavering allegiance to the Congress party and its controversial narratives, Praniti recently made headlines for a statement that has triggered national outrage.

In a charged session of the Lok Sabha, Praniti Shinde referred to Operation Sindoor as a ‘tamasha’ or media stunt ‘orchestrated’ by the Modi government. She openly questioned the effectiveness of the operation, demanding to know, “How many terrorists were caught and what results it yielded?” Her provocative claim that there must be ‘accountability’ for the ‘loss’ of Bharat’s fighter jets struck a chord that many found alarmingly similar to Pakistan's narrative. Despite the Indian Army’s clear stance on the matter, Shinde’s assertion seemed to dismiss the military’s version, fueling claims that the Congress party, yet again, has chosen to echo falsehoods long circulated by Pakistan.

Praniti’s remarks implied that the operation was strategically timed for ‘electoral benefit’ rather than genuine national security concerns. Her allegations triggered immediate backlash from BJP leaders and supporters. Furious protests erupted in her home constituency of Solapur, where demonstrators not only shouted slogans but also placed her image on a donkey, symbolizing their anger and disappointment.

Despite the fury, Shinde refused to apologize. Instead, she resorted to labeling the protestors as “trolls and andhbhakts”, terms frequently used by Congress members to refer to vocal supporters of the BJP on social media. The Lok Sabha Speaker later ordered the word “tamasha” to be expunged from the official records, marking a significant parliamentary rebuke to her comments. Meanwhile, the debate in Parliament over Operation Sindoor became heated, reflecting deep ideological divisions.

LJP (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Choudhary passionately countered Shinde’s remarks, asserting that today’s Bharat does not only mourn terror attacks but rises to strike back. She invoked the imagery of Bharat taking up arms like “Prabhu Sri Ram’s bow and Sri Krishna’s Sudarshan Chakra”, a symbolic reminder of India’s strength. Choudhary criticized leaders who show “more sympathy for Palestine than Pahalgam”, highlighting how some choose to politicize national security based on selective empathy. She did not hold back, stating it was clear “the likes of Praniti Shinde have no other qualification than nepotism and loyalty to Congress’ ‘first family’,” referring pointedly to the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

Interestingly, Praniti’s stance mirrors that of her political idol. Rahul Gandhi called Operation Sindoor a public relations exercise meant to protect Modi’s image, accused the government of lacking political will, and claimed the military’s hands were tied. His speech, perceived by many as more noise than substance, was filled with dramatic accusations disguised as calls for accountability.

In response, BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, issued strong rebuttals. They insisted that the operation was a legitimate response to cross-border terrorism and that “no international power asked Bharat to hold back.” Their statements sought to reaffirm India’s sovereign right to defend itself without yielding to foreign pressure.

Shrikant Shinde Hits Back in Parliament: Defends Operation Sindoor, Rebukes Congress and UBT MPs

As the storm over Operation Sindoor raged in Parliament, Shiv Sena MP Dr. Shrikant Shinde stepped into the spotlight with a fiery rebuttal to the opposition’s accusations. Speaking with force and clarity, Shinde didn’t hold back in addressing the claims raised by Congress MP Praniti Shinde and Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Party MP Arvind Sawant. Without mincing words, he firmly rejected all allegations and narratives pushed by the opposition benches.

His speech came shortly after Priyanka Gandhi had taken the floor. Just minutes into his statement, a woman MP from the opposition side tried to interrupt him. Unfazed, Shrikant Shinde responded sharply in Marathi, making it clear he wasn’t going to tolerate unruly conduct. “All the people in the opposition are talking about intelligence failure. They were asking how the terrorists came, where they came from,” he said, addressing the persistent criticism surrounding the operation.

This led to heckling from the opposition benches. “Hey Priyanka, go ahead, go ahead, 50 boxes—it’s okay,” someone mocked. Angered by this, Shinde paused his speech and fired back with a cutting remark: “Hey, mature now, come up, you came to Parliament, not to the Municipal Corporation now.”

The use of Marathi in his response hinted that the woman MP belonged to Maharashtra, though Shinde did not name anyone directly. The mystery around her identity sparked debate. Many speculated that it could be Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad, known for her assertive behaviour both as a parliamentarian and during her time in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Gaikwad has a history of confronting opponents head-on, which led many to believe she might have been the one who triggered Shinde’s outburst.

Meanwhile, Shrikant Shinde turned his attention toward Praniti Shinde, again without explicitly naming her. As Parliament was still abuzz over Praniti’s controversial remark calling Operation Sindoor a “tamasha,” Shinde took a sharp detour into history, reminding everyone of the tragic 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. He targeted the then Union Home Minister, criticizing him for his lack of seriousness in managing the crisis. In a pointed jab, he noted how “the Home Minister changes clothes three times”—a reference that brought the House to murmurs, recalling reports from the time that the minister changed outfits during the attack response, sparking public outrage.

Responding to Arvind Sawant’s accusations of intelligence failure, Shinde brought up a lesser-known but significant incident from 2006. He revealed that the accused in that attack were recently released by the court due to lack of evidence, a fact he used to question the competence of the then government. He reminded the House that blaming intelligence agencies is not new, but those doing so often fail to acknowledge their own history of lapses.

By the end of his speech, Shinde had not only defended the government’s handling of Operation Sindoor but also turned the mirror on the opposition, challenging their credibility and past actions. His speech stood out for its directness and refusal to be silenced by interruptions—making it one of the most talked-about interventions in the ongoing parliamentary session.

Congress and the Invention of ‘Hindutva Terror’

The Congress party’s stance on national security has long drawn criticism, and recent events seem to reinforce this pattern. While the Modi-led BJP government has consistently acted decisively against terrorism, the Congress, under previous regimes, was infamous for symbolic gestures such as sending dossiers to Pakistan rather than real action. One chilling reminder of their dubious approach is that had constable Tukaram Ombale not captured Ajmal Kasab alive during the 26/11 attacks, Congress would have blamed the RSS and Hindus—a claim widely discussed in national circles at the time.

Even after Kasab’s capture and conviction, the Congress didn’t stop. The party went on to propagate the term “saffron terror” or “Hindu terrorism,” implying that Hindus were responsible for acts of terror. In an unprecedented move, the UPA-2 Government in May 2010 released 25 hardcore Pakistani terrorists lodged in Indian prisons, calling it a ‘goodwill gesture’ to repair ties with Pakistan—a decision that stunned many defense and intelligence experts.

Even Praniti Shinde’s father, Sushilkumar Shinde, was at the heart of the controversy. Although he later ‘admitted’ that calling it ‘saffron terror’ was a ‘mistake’, the damage was done. In 2013, while serving as Home Minister, Sushilkumar Shinde accused the BJP and RSS of running “training camps” for Hindu terrorists, even blaming them for the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad—an allegation proven false in later investigations.

The seeds of this narrative were sown even earlier. In 2010, former Home Minister P. Chidambaram warned law enforcement agencies about the rise of “saffron terror”, a baseless label that painted an entire community under suspicion without credible evidence.

Further amplifying the misinformation, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh in 2013 asked why all so-called “Hindu terrorists” were linked to the RSS. But two years later, in an act of political flip-flopping, he criticized the very term “saffron terror” he once promoted, exposing the party's inconsistent and opportunistic stance.

Now, with public support dwindling and electoral defeats piling up, Congress is desperately trying to undermine the Modi government. But in the process, it seems to be revealing its deeper biases—against Hindus and against Bharat’s national interest. The party’s history of communal blame games and questionable alliances continues to haunt its present-day politics.