During a fiery speech in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, Home Minister Amit Shah declared, "I am proud to say, no Hindu can ever be a terrorist,". This statement was made during a debate on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack. Shah's remarks were a blistering attack on the Congress party, accusing them of "appeasement politics" and of coining the phrase "Hindu terror" following the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He asserted that the Congress's "lenient policies and approach of appeasement allowed terrorism to grow and thrive in the country".
Shah accused the Congress of attempting to give terrorism a religious color for votes, a falsehood that he claims the people of India have rejected. He recalled efforts to blame Hindutva outfits for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba. He specifically named Congress leader Digvijaya Singh as someone who fanned this narrative. Shah questioned the Congress's motives, asking whom they were trying to save and what they were trying to save. He then declared that he proudly proclaims to the world that a Hindu can never be a terrorist.
The Home Minister also criticized past governments for not taking decisive action against terrorists. He stated that earlier governments did not act to intimidate terrorists, sending only dossiers. Shah credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with giving a befitting reply to Pakistan with airstrikes, surgical strikes, and Operation Sindoor, instilling fear among terrorists. He highlighted the Modi government's commitment to wiping out terrorism from India.
Shah defended the naming of the terrorist encounter as Operation Mahadev, stating it was not solely due to religion. He explained that "Har Har Mahadev" was a war cry used by Shivaji Maharaj in his fight against the Mughals and represents a symbol against every attack on India's supremacy. He said that the opposition does not know that Har Har Mahadev is not just a slogan in a religion but it was the war cry of Shivaji Maharaj's army when he fought against the Mughals. Shri Shah said that this is a symbol of India, the retaliation given against the attack on India's sovereignty and the encroachment of India's borders.
The Home Minister also addressed the issue of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), asserting that the Congress "gave away" parts of Kashmir to Pakistan when in power, while the BJP government will bring it back. He emphasized that the Congress has no right to question the BJP on PoK.
Shah further claimed significant progress in curbing terrorism under the BJP government. He stated that terrorism in Kashmir is on the verge of being eradicated and that no Kashmiri youth has been recruited into terrorist organizations in the last six months. He contrasted this with the period between 2004 and 2014, when 7,217 terrorist incidents were recorded, compared to 2,150 incidents between June 2015 and May 2025, reflecting a 70 percent reduction.
Shah concluded by reiterating the government's resolve to eliminate terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. He declared to terrorists that no matter what they do, Jammu and Kashmir will be free from terrorism. He lauded the army and security forces for increasing India's honor through Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev.