Washington, DC (USA), May 07, 2025 (ANI): On Operation Sindoor, US Congressman Shri Thanedar said, “India has the right to defend itself after what happened in Pahalgam... Terrorists were focused on making sure the people they're killing are Hindus... Now that India has started to target the infrastructure of the terrorists and planned 9 such attacks, so India has the right to defend itself. India has a right to retaliate for what appears to be barbaric acts...I'm urging that United States supports India at this difficult time...First of all, the United States must recognise India's right to protect its people and its territory. Secondly, the United States must encourage a thorough and complete investigation about the terrorist attack. War is never a solution, but when such terroristic acts happen, it is important that the terrorists are found, they are punished. It is important that any country that is supporting terrorism sees that there are consequences for such actions and the United States must stand behind peaceful nations, democracies and the United States and India must collaborate to fight against terrorism all across the world.”
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00India has a right to defend itself. I am staying in touch with the US government
00:07and I'm urging that the United States support India. First reaction about India striking
00:15against Pakistan. Has your office received any official briefing or confirmation about these
00:21and what information can you share at this point from the US side? Look, India has a right to
00:29defend itself. And what happened in the Pentagon, the terrorist attacks, especially attacks against
00:40Hindus, what it appeared to be is an attack specifically on religious reasons, attack on, specifically
00:51the terrorists were focused on making sure the people that they're killing are actually
00:55Hindus. And the outrage that we felt in the United States, outrage India felt and outrage
01:02shall be seen all across the world. And now that India has started to target the infrastructure
01:12of the terrorists and planned nine such attacks. So India, you know, has a right to defend itself.
01:21India has a right to retaliate for what appears to be barbaric acts. And it does appear to have
01:30support from the state of Pakistan. So it appears to be a state-sponsored, state-supported terroristic
01:40attack. So that is, you know, I have placed some calls with the State Department. I am staying
01:47in touch with the US government. And I'm urging that the United States support India at this difficult
01:56time.
01:57Right. What steps do you see or what steps do you recommend, you know, for the United States
02:04to take diplomatically in response to this action between India and Pakistan?
02:10Well, I think, first of all, the United States must recognize India's right to protect its people,
02:20its territory. Secondly, the United States must encourage a thorough and complete investigation
02:32about the terroristic attack. All early indications look like Lashkar-e-Taiba's involved in it. So
02:43that needs to be investigated and ensured. And if those reports are true, the early initial
02:52reports of Pakistan's involvement in this terrorist attack are true, then United States must reach
03:01and, you know, act on that, use its relationship with Pakistan, its economic relationship, its
03:09military relationship. And, you know, the US must take strong actions against Pakistan to
03:18deter such future attacks by Pakistan or Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in India.
03:24Right. Yeah, this may be a bit early, but in terms of the congressional oversight, as a member
03:31of the Congress, what information would you like to seek or you and your colleagues would
03:36like to seek from the department or the intelligence community regarding the situation that, you know,
03:43just rapidly developing?
03:45Well, I'll be asking the State Department to give us a briefing to members of Congress on this issue,
03:54specifically a confidential briefing detailing what they know now and what specific investigations
04:06they would ask be conducted in the Indo-PAC region. So that's what I would be asking. I would be writing to the State Department,
04:16asking them for a specialized briefing to members of Congress.
04:21In terms of the regional stability, how concerned are you about, like, you know, potential escalation? It's already escalated, but, you know, going forward,
04:33even higher than what it is right now. What role do you see the United States play in preventing further military action from, you know, both sides?
04:44Look, look, you know, war is never a solution. But when such terroristic acts happen, it is important that the terrorists are found, they're punished. You know, it is important that any country that is supporting terrorism sees that there are consequences for such actions.
05:10And the United States must stand behind peaceful nations, democracies, and the United States and India must collaborate to fight against terrorism all across the world.
05:27Now, both powers are nuclear powers. Given that both India and Pakistan, you know, possess those powers, how does, you know, this incident effect,
05:38the U.S. strategic calculations in this whole region?
05:43Well, it looks like the attack was very measured. The attack limited to infrastructures that the terrorists used. So given all that, you know, I don't see an escalation at this stage.
05:59The response that India had appears to be just and measured and very carefully done. So I do not expect that should escalate anything. But it should help in destroying the terrorist infrastructure and send a message.
06:22All right.
06:23All right. Your closing remarks. Anything that you'd like to, you know, properly tell the president? He reacted a few minutes ago.
06:32Look, look, we have stood behind Israel, when Israel was attacked by such barbaric terrorism. And the United States must stand behind India as India protects itself and investigates and attacks.
06:51The terrorist sites and destroys the terrorists that killed so many innocent Hindus in India. So I think I'm calling for a stronger U.S.-India collaboration, a complete investigation of this terroristic act and taking actions to punish those who were involved in such barbaric
07:20attacks on Indian Hindus.
07:24Any message to President Trump? He's just reacted briefly.
07:27Well, just continue to support India, continue to stand behind India and continue to support this war against terrorism all across the world.
07:46Thank you very much forати to your health.