Savarkar’s vision, Modi’s policies behind success of Operation Sindoor, says B.L. Santosh

Mysore/Mysuru: BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santosh credited the success of Operation Sindoor to the national defence policies envisioned by Veer Savarkar and implemented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Government over past 11 years.

He was delivering the keynote address at a symposium titled “Indian Army in the Vision of Savarkar and Operation Sindoor,” organised by the Savarkar Pratishthana, Mysuru, at Kalamandira on Tuesday.

Santosh highlighted that Savarkar’s campaign inspired Hindu youths to join the Indian military, leading to the formation of regiments such as Maratha Regiment, Jat Regiment and Rajput Regiment, all of which continue to serve with distinction.

He expressed disappointment that the Congress party continues to criticise Savarkar despite his significant contributions to India’s defence vision.

Addressing the controversy surrounding Savarkar’s interactions with the British, Santosh stated that while Savarkar engaged with them, labelling him a “British agent” was unjust. He emphasised that Savarkar viewed World War II as an opportunity to encourage Hindu youths to participate in military activities, laying the foundation for a strong national defence.

Warnings on national security

Santosh recalled that in 1950, when India became a republic, Savarkar had written to Government warning that India’s borders remained vulnerable and urging that the first duty of the Republic should be to strengthen its Army, Navy and Air Force.

In 1959, Savarkar wrote to Prime Minister Nehru, highlighting that India’s Armed Forces lacked preparedness and strategic sharpness — warnings that history would later validate.

He stressed that Savarkar’s recommendations helped shape India’s military policies in its formative years, noting that without such foresight, regions like Srinagar and Hyderabad might not have remained part of India.

Savarkar had also advocated one to two years of military training for high school and college students to build a disciplined and defence-ready youth force, Santosh added.

On Pahalgam attack

Referring to the April 22 attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Santosh alleged that the attackers specifically targeted Hindus, claiming this information came directly from victims’ families.

He said that acknowledging this truth requires courage — something Congress lacked then and continues to lack today. “This is a fact, not communalism,” he stressed.

Indian soldiers later neutralised the three terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack near Srinagar. Santosh noted that many traders of other faiths were present but were unharmed, raising questions about the attackers’ motives.

Responding to public outrage, Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, carrying out precise airstrikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan without crossing India’s borders — a testament to India’s evolving defence and intelligence capabilities over past 11 years, he said.

Earlier, students from Supreme Convent School performed a short play on Veer Savarkar, while music was presented by students of Rashtrothana School.

The event was presided over by Savarkar Pratishthana President Dr. S. Yashaswini, with Dr. N. Chandrashekar of Aditya Adhikari Hospital as chief guest. MLA T.S. Srivatsa, ex-MLA L. Nagendra and several BJP leaders and party workers attended the programme, which drew a capacity crowd at Kalamandira.