BJP Charts Counter Strategy Amid Opposition Attacks on Pakistan Ceasefire, US Role

As debate continues around Operation Sindoor and the circumstances leading to the ceasefire with Pakistan, the BJP’s national leadership has moved to frame a calibrated counter-narrative. The party plans to “highlight specific military and non-military achievements through carefully measured statements” in response to the Opposition’s criticism.

Party sources indicated that BJP’s messaging would revolve around amplifying operational details released by India’s defence and diplomatic establishments. This would be coupled with a reiteration of key decisions taken by the NDA government following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

A senior party leader said that central to countering the Opposition’s charges would be emphasizing the “ongoing” nature of Operation Sindoor, India’s ability to strike “at the heart of Pakistan,” and the emergence of a “Naya Bharat” unafraid to take the fight to terror camps deep across the border. The party will also spotlight a series of non-military actions initiated by the government in the aftermath of the operation.

“These include the decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, halt trade with Pakistan, ban Pakistani actors from working in India, and a shift in India’s counter-terrorism approach as outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation,” a senior source said. State units have also been tasked with disseminating the government’s message at the grassroots level.

To bolster its outreach, the party has enlisted North East Delhi MP and Bhojpuri singer Manoj Tiwari, who has reportedly composed a patriotic song lauding the armed forces, celebrating India’s unprecedented retaliation under Modi’s leadership, and responding to countries such as Turkey and Azerbaijan for their support to Pakistan during the conflict. The song is expected to be released in the coming days.

Additionally, the BJP is in the midst of an 11-day nationwide Tiranga Yatra to commemorate the success of Operation Sindoor and rally public sentiment in its favour.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders acknowledged that another front would involve countering the Congress party’s narrative. Since the ceasefire was announced on Saturday, Congress leaders have drawn comparisons to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s decisive leadership during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, alleging that the current government’s response appeared comparatively restrained.

“A lot of false propaganda is being spread about how actions under the Modi government fall short of those under Indira Gandhi. We intend to debunk those claims and remind the public of the numerous gaps in that narrative,” a source said, adding that the precision and strategic restraint exercised during Operation Sindoor were unmatched by any government in a conflict between two nuclear-armed nations.

At the same time, party insiders admitted the next challenge would be addressing perceptions about alleged US intervention in brokering the ceasefire. A senior leader revealed that the BJP had already begun referencing previous instances of US involvement during Congress-led regimes to put current events into perspective.

“We’ll firmly counter the Congress’s insinuations and stress that Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) remains a bilateral issue, leaving no room for third-party mediation,” the leader added.