On the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, Opposition leaders on Wednesday sharply criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government for allegedly withholding details of the military operation from elected representatives, even as they voiced strong support for India's armed forces. The criticism came from multiple Opposition parties, including the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Indian National Congress (INC).

MPs Say They Were Left Uninformed

Trinamool Congress Member of Parliament Saugata Roy said he was denied details of the operation despite being a member of the defence consultative committee. "We do not know enough about Operation Sindoor. I am a Member of Parliament, but we were not told the details of Operation Sindoor, even in the defence consultative committee of which I am a member," Roy told IANS.

He further noted that the government's own characterisation of the operation — a claimed 88-hour-long mission that reportedly wiped out "various assets of the enemy" — has remained unverified from the Opposition's standpoint. "It has remained a closely guarded secret as to what was achieved," he said. Roy also expressed condolences for Indian lives lost during the operation.

Congress Voices Concern Over Transparency

Arabinda Das, Chairman of the Media, Communications and Publicity Department of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, echoed similar concerns. "As far as Operation Sindoor is concerned, the story is still bleak. In most of the cases, these people (the Central government) are in the habit of keeping people in the dark. So, a clear picture should have come, as we are still in the darkness," Das told reporters.

Despite his criticism of the government's transparency, Das expressed confidence in India's military superiority, asserting that Pakistan, which he described as "quite inferior" in military might, must have been effectively subdued by Indian forces.

BJP Accused of Politicising the Operation

Congress MP Amar Singh went a step further, accusing the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of politically appropriating a military achievement. "The military always does good work. We support the Indian armed forces," Singh told IANS. "But the BJP should not have politicised it (Operation Sindoor). It is the achievement of the Armed Forces, what do they (BJP) have got to do with it?" he added.

Government Defends Operation Sindoor

The ruling side offered a contrasting narrative. Home Minister Amit Shah hailed Operation Sindoor as an "epochal mission" of India, saying it will always remind the country's enemies of the "infallible striking power" of the Indian armed forces. Shah's remarks underlined the government's position that the operation was a landmark demonstration of national security resolve.

This comes amid a broader political debate over how much Parliament and its committees should be briefed on active or concluded military operations — a question that is likely to intensify as the anniversary draws fresh public attention to the mission's scope and outcomes.