NEW DELHI: Congress MP Imran Masood on Sunday questioned the timing of remarks made by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Operation Sindoor, suggesting they could be aimed at diverting attention from allegations against the Election Commission.Speaking in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Masood told ANI, “When Operation Sindoor was being discussed in the Parliament, we wanted PM Modi to share the details, but then he didn’t say anything. I don’t understand the timing of the statement… Is this being said to shift the narrative and hide the allegations against the Election Commission? We have complete confidence in our army. Due to their courage and bravery, we ask: despite possessing enough courage to easily take PoK, why can’t they accomplish this?”Air Chief Marshal Singh on Saturday had revealed that India downed at least five Pakistani fighter jets and one large aircraft — potentially an ELINT or AEW&C — during Operation Sindoor, calling it “the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about”. He detailed multiple strikes on command centres, radars, and hangars in Pakistan, crediting the “political will” of the Modi government for giving the armed forces “full freedom to plan and execute” the mission without restrictions.The IAF chief’s remarks have sparked political debate. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned why Prime Minister Modi “suddenly stopped Operation Sindoor” on the evening of May 10, alleging he had done so “under pressure”. Pawan Khera also pressed the PM to clarify whether US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire claims were untrue.The BJP, however, used Singh’s comments to counter Congress’s earlier claims that the government had “tied the hands” of IAF pilots. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Air Chief Marshal’s account “debunked comprehensively” what he called a “Pakistan-originated disinformation campaign”. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju accused Rahul Gandhi of repeatedly lying and urged him to “maintain the decorum of Parliament”.Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26, targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, killing over 100 militants.India also repelled Pakistani retaliation and struck its airbases. Singh underscored that the success of the mission came from synergy between the three services and support from the political leadership, while stressing the need for indigenisation and joint capability development for future conflicts.
