New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday termed Operation Sindoor an “inevitable” step to protect the country and said nobody should criticise such operations as it amounts to supporting terrorism.

Responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the operation and his remarks against External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Naidu called for unified support across party lines on matters of national security.

Under Operation Sindoor, India carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.

Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to Pakistani attempts.

“I am very clear, nobody should criticise or attack the operation. Operation Sindoor was an inevitable situation to protect ourselves,” Naidu said at a press conference here after meeting several Union ministers on state issues.

He said the operation was necessitated by the terror attack in Pahalgam.

“Naturally, you have to hit back to create confidence in your citizens or else what is going to happen to this nation and how to protect this nation.

“Why are you spending so much on defence? We are not going to war against other countries. If anybody comes and creates a problem, it is our right to fight out and that is clear,” he added.

The chief minister described Operation Sindoor as a “fight against terrorism” and asked whether its critics support terrorist activities.

“Can you support terrorism? Terrorist activity of any form, all of us have to condemn. Otherwise, what is the safety for you to sit here? We are living in a civilised world. The civilised world cannot tolerate any kind of terrorist activity,” he said.

On Ashoka University Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad’s arrest over his social media post on Operation Sindoor, Naidu said “everybody should have restraint”.

The CM, who met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss state proposals, congratulated him on the success of Operation Sindoor.