Thane (Maharashtra) [India], May 14 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday participated in the Tiranga Yatra in Thane, which is being held in honour of the Indian armed forces after the success of Operation Sindoor.

Speaking with the media, Eknath Shinde lauded the Indian Armed Forces and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving a 'befitting' reply through Operation Sindoor.

'Pakistani terrorists wiped off the 'sindoor' of our sisters, in Pahalgam. They were given a befitting reply through Operation Sindoor. The Operation has been successful...PM Modi has said 'Wahan se goli chalegi, yahan se gola chalega'. So, I express gratitude to all three services of the country as well as PM Narendra Modi. The PM backed the jawans of our armed forces and supported the sentiments of the countrymen. We had never had such a Prime Minister,' Eknath Shinde said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a nationwide Tiranga Yatra, a significant public outreach effort to honour the valour of Indian soldiers, inform citizens about Operation Sindoor's recent success and the government's decisive response to Pakistan.

BJP's 'Tiranga Yatra', which was started on Tuesday, will continue till May 23.

The campaign kicked off in Delhi with a symbolic march featuring a 108-foot-tall national flag. The yatra began at Kartavya Path and will conclude at the National War Memorial, with thousands, including BJP workers, citizens, NGOs, RWAs, religious leaders, and social organisations gathered to pay tribute to the armed forces.

According to party sources, ex-servicemen, social workers, and prominent public figures will lead the marches in various states, underscoring the message of unity, patriotism, and national pride.

The yatra is being seen as more than just a party initiative, with the BJP aiming to turn it into a large-scale people's movement.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7 in response to a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, in which 26 civilians lost their lives.

In a swift and decisive retaliation, Indian forces eliminated over 100 terrorists across the border in Pakistan.

Though Pakistan launched a counteroffensive, India responded with force, leading to a ceasefire and reasserting its defence posture.

Through the Tiranga Yatra, the BJP aims to remind citizens of India's resolute stand against terrorism and to foster a deeper sense of nationalism and unity across the country. (ANI)