Defence minister Rajnath Singh (ANI file photo)

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Opposition, accusing it of running a “campaign of calumny” and “amplifying hostile propaganda” over India’s counterterror operation against Pakistan-backed terrorism under Operation Sindoor.Leading the party’s response, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya accused Opposition leaders of deliberately “twisting” defence minister Rajnath Singh’s statement in Parliament on the military operation.BJP leader Malviya also said, “The opposition owes an apology to the Bravehearts of Operation Sindoor and to the nation.” He alleged that they had falsely suggested the government was denying the sacrifice of Indian soldiers, saying, “Nothing could be further from the truth.”In a post on X, Malviya said Rajnath Singh’s remarks were made solely to counter: “the malicious and entirely false narrative” that India had lost fighter pilots during Operation Sindoor. According to him, the statement was aimed at rebutting misinformation that sought to undermine the operation’s success and demoralise the country.Calling the opposition’s criticism politically motivated, Malviya alleged that “Deliberately lifting one sentence out of context to manufacture outrage was a calculated act of political dishonesty.”Highlighting the government’s position, he asserted that Operation Sindoor had been “a resounding success,” claiming that more than 100 terrorists and Pakistani military personnel were neutralised, while Pakistani air bases and military infrastructure along the Line of Control suffered extensive damage. He also praised the Indian Armed Forces for demonstrating “extraordinary precision, professionalism and resolve.”Rejecting allegations that the government had ignored the sacrifices of military personnel, Malviya said it had consistently honoured those who made the supreme sacrifice. He noted that the names of the fallen had been inscribed on the National War Memorial and that their families had been provided educational, healthcare and other welfare benefits in recognition of their service.Targeting the Opposition, Malviya alleged that while the government had honoured the martyrs “with dignity and gratitude,” its political rivals had “chosen to weaponise their sacrifice for partisan politics.”Concluding his attack, he said, “History will remember who stood with India’s soldiers and who stood with those seeking to tarnish their valour.”Earlier, on Saturday, the defence ministry rejected allegations that the deaths of six military personnel during Operation Sindoor (May 7-10, 2025) had been concealed, asserting that the information had been made public from the outset.The ministry said that during the press briefing held a day after military operations against Pakistan were paused, the then Director General of Military Operations had acknowledged the loss of armed forces personnel and civilians. It further mentioned that the six soldiers were later conferred gallantry awards, a decision announced through an official press release on August 14, 2025.The ministry also said that the Army’s official social media platforms paid tribute to the fallen personnel “without delay,” maintaining that there had been no attempt to withhold information about their sacrifice.The ministry also dismissed claims circulating on social media and in sections of the media that defence minister Rajnath Singh had denied the deaths of military personnel during the conflict with Pakistan in his July 28 statement in Parliament.Rejecting the allegations, the ministry said the interpretation of Rajnath’s remarks was misleading. “These (posts) are deliberately misleading and factually incorrect,” it said.On Saturday, Congress accused the government of concealing the sacrifice of six soldiers during Operation Sindoor and denying them the honour they deserved, calling it an “insult to our soldiers.”Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged that defence minister Rajnath Singh either did not know about the casualties while addressing Parliament or had “chose[n] to mislead Parliament.”He claimed the six soldiers’ sacrifice was concealed and that they were denied the recognition they deserved. Khera also accused the BJP government of hiding their martyrdom for a year despite projecting itself as nationalist.