'Brilliant': Shashi Tharoor sends 'shabash' to whoever named Operation Sindoor
What's the story
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has praised 'Operation Sindoor,' a military operation carried out under the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.
This rare occasion of Tharoor supporting a government initiative was triggered by an X post speculating about a possible acronym for the operation.
Replying to an X post speculating that 'Sindoor' could mean "Strategic Initiative for Neutralizing Destructive Opponents with Overwhelming Retaliation," Tharoor wrote, "Clever, esp. given the government's penchant for creative acronyms!"
Twitter Post
Shabash to whoever thought of it, wrote Tharoor
Clever, esp given the government’s penchant for creative acronyms!
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 7, 2025
But jokes apart, #OperationSindoor is a brilliant name. It evokes the image, seared into our national consciousness, of the newly-widowed bride, kneeling and weeping by the side of her assassinated husband of six… https://t.co/uaDt1UwHUP
Symbolism
Tharoor's interpretation of Operation Sindoor
He went on to write, "But jokes apart, #OperationSindoor is a brilliant name." He went on to explain its symbolic significance.
He said the name evokes the image of the newly widowed bride, kneeling and weeping by the side of her assassinated husband in Pahalgam.
"The entire reason why Operation #Sindoor was necessary. The fact that Sindoor is blood red also sends a telling message. Shabash to whoever thought of it!" he wrote.
Color significance
Tharoor lauds the color red in 'Sindoor'
The Indian Army explains the meaning of 'Operation Sindoor' further.
In a post shared on X, Operation Sindoor is written in capitals, with an 'O' as a bowl of vermilion.
Some of the vermilion has spilled, representing the brutality that snatched the life partners of 26 individuals.
In retaliation for the killings, 'Operation Sindoor' was launched at around 1:00am on Wednesday. The strikes hit nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in a swift, 25-minute assault.