‘War not an answer to terror attacks’: Raj Thackeray on Operation Sindoor; says ‘Pakistan already a ruined nation'

India-Pakistan: Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday remarked that India's Operation Sindoor was futile, saying, “Pakistan is already a ruined nation. What will you ruin there?”

India, on the intervening night of May 6 and 7, launched Operation Sindoor, where nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were targeted. Eight people were killed and at least 35 were injured.

Raj Thackeray said, “War is not an answer to terror attacks. In America, Twin Towers were attacked, Pentagon was attacked. They did not go to war. They killed terrorists. There seems to be a desire to create a war-like situation in another country.”

“Why was there no security where tourists come in large numbers?" the MNS leader asked.

Raj Thackeray said it is important to conduct combing operations. Airstrike can't be an answer. The government's mistakes must be shown. After the attack, the PM cut short his Saudi Arabia trip.

Raj Thackeray alleged that PM Modi went on campaign in Bihar, adding that “there was no need”.

“He (PM Modi) went for the Adani port inauguration in Kerala. If the situation is so serious, there was no need to do all these. Rather than doing mock drills, do combing operations wherever you know.”

What is Operation Sindoor ?

Operation Sindoor was a precision military strike launched by the Indian armed forces in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

This operation was a direct retaliation for the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including 25 Indians and one Nepali national.

The strikes of Operation Sindoor focused exclusively on dismantling terror camps and infrastructure used for planning cross-border attacks, deliberately avoiding Pakistani military installations to prevent escalation.

The Indian government described the operation as measured and non-escalatory, emphasising restraint in target selection and execution to hold perpetrators accountable without provoking wider conflict.

The launch of Operation Sindoor significantly heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, drawing global attention and diplomatic responses. While India asserted its right to self-defence and vowed to continue counter-terrorism efforts, Pakistan condemned the strikes as an act of war and threatened retaliation.