Myanmar operation was not covert, our soldiers were in uniform: Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore

Delhi: Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said on Sunday that the Myanmar operation was not covert operation but overt and that the Indian Army soldiers were in uniform.

Talking to ANI he said, “This was not a covert operation. In covert operation, soldiers don't wear uniform. In this operation, it was overt, our soldiers were in uniform, TV journalists should know all this.”

About how the operation by Indian Army had rattled Pakistan, Rathore said, “Attack was somewhere else but pain was felt elsewhere. Pakistan reacted, their PM also made a statement. Why even General Musharraf gave a threatening statement. He barely got permission to enter his own country, but threatened India.”

Rathore also wondered why Opposition parties objected to Modi being credited for the successful operation if late Indira Gandhi could be called "Durga" for leading the country to victory in the 1971 war.

"In the 1971 war, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji called late Mrs Indira Gandhi 'Durga'. Why shouldn't credit go the country's leader and prime minister (Modi) who has got a political will," he said.

On his tweet on the operation attracting criticism he maintained, "It is said attack is best form of defense.1 had to attack but in our country people have a problem with that. Some journalists called me and said that I should not have tweeted on chappan inch chaati."

After the operation Rathore had tweeted the following:

A salute to Indian Army for #ManipurRevenge strike.Massive political will displayed by our strong @PMOIndia @narendramodi @manoharparrikar — Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) June 9, 2015

Indian Army strikes into the heart of militants.देश के दुश्मनों को करारा जवाब. कुशल नेतृत्व ,मज़बूत सरकार PM @narendramodi #56inchRocks — Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) June 9, 2015

Indian Army had carried out a surgical strike inside Myanmar on June 09.

The operation in Myanmar was carried out by a crack team of about 70 commandos of the Indian Army who finished the operation within 40 minutes, leaving 38 Naga insurgents dead and seven injured.

The decision was taken hours after the Naga militants had killed 18 soldiers in an ambush in Chandel area of Manipur on June 4 and clearance was obtained from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the night of June 7, soon after his return from Bangladesh, sources had said privy to the details, as per PTI.

The commandos of 21 Para, equipped with assault rifles, rocket launchers, grenades and night vision goggles, were air dropped from Dhruv helicopters, just inside the Indian territory near the border with Myanmar, security sources had said.

Once on the ground, the contingent of the special forces split into two groups and headed for two camps being run by NSCN(K) and KYKL, who are believed to be responsible for the deadly ambush on June 4, they had said.

The teams trekked through the thick jungles for at least five kilometers before they reached the training camps.

The actual operation (hitting the camp and destroying it) took about 40 minutes. Not only did the commandos kill those present at the camps in gun fight, during which rocket launchers were also used, one of the camp was also set afire.

Thermal imagery was also used to track the operation about which Myanmarese authorities were kept in the loop, they said.

(With Agency inputs)