Indian Air Force attack on PoK: From Rahul Gandhi to Akhilesh Yadav, here's how politicians reacted

Indian  Air Force (IAF) carried out an aerial strike on major terror camps in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Around 3:30 am on Tuesday, the air strike was carried out by 12 Indian fighter jets in Pakistan's Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad . The IAF has also destroyed control rooms of Pakistan-based terror organisation  Jaish-e-Mohammed, which had claimed the attack in Pulwama on 14 February. A group of Mirage 2000 Indian F9 Indian Fighter jets dropped 1000 kg bombs on terror camps across the Line Of Control (LOC).

Also read: IAF strikes across LoC LIVE: Mirage jets drop 1,000kg bombs; JeM terror camps destroyed in Surgical Strike 2.0 

Also read: India destroys JeM terror camps: Where exactly is Balakot?

 Pakistan Armed Forces Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed that IAF violated the LoC and the aircraft intruded from Muzafarabad sector.

Indian Air Force violated Line of Control. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircrafts gone back. Details to follow.

- Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 25, 2019

Indian aircrafts' intrusion across LOC in Muzafarabad Sector within AJ&K was 3-4 miles.Under forced hasty withdrawal aircrafts released payload which had free fall in open area. No infrastructure got hit, no casualties. Technical details and other important information to follow.

- Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 26, 2019

Subramanian Swamy responded by saying India is bombing its own territory...no international law is broken."

We are bombing our own territory temporarily called PoK. So no international law broken but it is in self defence

- Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) February 26, 2019

Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign Minister  Shah Mahmood Qureshi has summoned an emergency meeting in Islamabad.

Radio Pakistan: Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has summoned an emergency meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan. The meeting will discuss the security situation. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/G2pPKna28u

- ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2019

Politicians across parties lauded the IAF's operation across the LoC.

Congres President Rahul Gandhi lauded the IAF retaliation by giving a salute to the pilots.

I salute the pilots of the IAF.

- Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 26, 2019

Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer's Welfare, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, reiterates dialogue from the recent Bollywood hit Uri: The Surgical Strike. "This is new India, this will enter your home, and kill you too."

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Air Force carried out aerial strike early morning today at terror camps across the LoC and Completely destroyed it

! .. ...#Balakot #Surgicalstrike2 pic.twitter.com/fqYJgWxuqX

- Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) February 26, 2019

Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi also appreciated the major air strike by IAF by saying,"Balakot which is quite far out into the LOC is a deep strike and purportedly where Hafeez Saeed gives a lot of his addresses. If IAF penetrated that deep without casualties it's a highly successful mission."

Balakot which is quite far out into the LOC is a deep strike and purportedly where Hafeez Saeed gives a lot of his addresses. If IAF penetrated that deep without casualties it's a highly successful mission.

- Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) February 26, 2019

Delhi CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal also applauded the bravery of pilots.

Akhilesh Yadav congratulated the Indian Air Force for this major operation.

I salute the bravery of Indian Air Force pilots who have made us proud by striking terror targets in Pakistan

- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 26, 2019

Amid such reactions, former CM of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah started a debate over the geographical location of Balakot - one of the terror camps.

Abduallah has said that there are two Balakotes and that it is unclear on which Balakote the strike has taken place. In his tweet Abdullah asked, "If this is Balakote in KPK it's a major incursion & a significant strike by IAF planes. However if it's Balakote in Poonch sector, along the LoC it's a largely symbolic strike because at this time of the year forward launch pads & militant camps are empty & non-functional."

If this is Balakote in KPK it's a major incursion & a significant strike by IAF planes. However if it's Balakote in Poonch sector, along the LoC it's a largely symbolic strike because at this time of the year forward launch pads & militant camps are empty & non-functional.

- Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 26, 2019

Unless we know which Balakote is being talked about by the Pakistani generals it's pointless speculating about what we may have hit & what fallout the airstrike will have.

- Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 26, 2019

So it is Balakote in KPK. That's a strike deep inside Pakistan & is hugely embarrassing for them. Regardless of what the other side may claim was or wasn't hit the planes crossed over, dropped their payload & flew back completely unscathed.

- Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 26, 2019

Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale also spoke on Indian air strike and revealed that a large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders were eliminated in largest JeM camp in Balakot. "The camp was led by Maulana Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghauri, the brother-in-law of JeM Chief Masood Azhar."