The political atmosphere in India is currently charged, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress engaged in a fierce war of words. Recent exchanges have centered around Operation Sindoor, the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and allegations of sensitive information being mishandled.

The core of the dispute stems from claims made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has accused External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar of informing Pakistan about India's plans before launching strikes on terror infrastructure as part of Operation Sindoor. Gandhi has labeled this alleged action a "crime" and demanded to know how many Indian aircraft were lost because Pakistan had prior knowledge. He has also questioned who authorized the sharing of this information.

The BJP has vehemently refuted these allegations, accusing Rahul Gandhi of "misrepresenting facts" and speaking "the language of Pakistan." Amit Malviya, who oversees the BJP's National Information & Technology Department, shared a video clip from a press briefing given by DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai on May 11, emphasizing that India warned Pakistan at the start of Operation Sindoor, which is the early phase after commencement and not before. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also stepped in to defend Jaishankar, stating that the warning was issued in the "early phase after Operation Sindoor's commencement" and not before it began. The MEA has condemned Gandhi's interpretations as "blatant distortions."

Adding fuel to the fire, Congress leader Pawan Khera has launched a scathing attack on EAM Jaishankar, accusing him of allegedly sharing confidential details of Operation Sindoor with Pakistan beforehand and calling Jaishankar a "Gaddar (traitor)". The BJP has dismissed Khera's claim as "baseless and dangerous political theatre.".

Beyond the immediate accusations, the BJP has framed the Congress's criticism as being soft on Pakistan. This narrative aims to portray the Congress as a party that, either intentionally or unintentionally, undermines India's national security interests. The BJP has also accused Congress of questioning the valor of the armed forces.

The controversy has also extended to the selection of members for a multi-party delegation tasked with presenting India's stance on cross-border terrorism and Operation Sindoor to various countries. Congress criticized the exclusion of Rahul Gandhi from the delegation, while the BJP defended the selection process and questioned the suitability of some of the Congress's nominees, citing past controversies and allegations against them. The BJP has questioned whether the Congress is prioritizing merit or playing political games. The inclusion of Shashi Tharoor, a Congress MP, in the delegation has further fueled the fire, with the BJP using it to suggest that the Congress is insecure and intolerant of anyone who outshines the "high command."

This political slugfest is taking place against the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which resulted in civilian casualties, and Operation Sindoor, India's response to the attack.