Key Points

Gupta’s remarks came after PM Modi declared that "no one will be able to escape by sending terrorists and carrying out attacks in India," citing the success of Operation Sindoor.

The BJP leader also praised PM Modi’s uncompromising approach towards terrorism.

Speaking to IANS, BJP leader Gupta said, "PM Modi has given a clear message that there will be no compromise with terrorism. Before the Narendra Modi government came to power, one would often hear audio announcements at railway stations or bus stands warning people to check suspicious items because they might be bombs. But today, India has changed. PM Modi is advancing the policy of zero tolerance, and it is his vow to eradicate terrorism in the coming days. The entire government is united in this commitment. Whether it is Jammu and Kashmir or any corner of the country, terrorism has to be rooted out."

He also reacted to a viral video showing Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar singing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) anthem, "Namaste Sada Vatsale Matribhume," during an address in the state Assembly.

"His gesture is a signal, the meaning of which will become clearer in the coming days. He himself admitted that he is assessing the work done by the RSS. Now it is up to the Congress leadership to decide what message this conveys. The fact that senior leaders like Shivakumar are singing the RSS anthem is remarkable. Even today, such statements about the RSS have surprised many. It is for the Congress and its allies to judge what this means politically," BJP leader Gupta told IANS.

The viral clip has sparked intrigue across the political spectrum, given Congress' longstanding opposition to the RSS, widely seen as the ideological backbone of the ruling BJP and known for its nationalist philosophy.

The exchange unfolded after Shivakumar, in response to Opposition's criticism, highlighted his wide-ranging knowledge and experience.

"I also have all types of knowledge to counter you. I might not have been groomed in your school, but I have been groomed in Parameshwara's school," he retorted, referring to senior Congress leader G. Parameshwara.

Reacting to Shivakumar's comment, BJP leader and Karnataka Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka reminded Shivakumar of his past remarks about having worn the RSS' trademark khaki shorts during his childhood.

Opposition leader Ashoka's jibe referenced Shivakumar's earlier admission that he had attended an RSS branch in Bengaluru’s Rajajinagar neighbourhood as a boy.

- IANS