How's the josh? Bollywood reacts to Surgical Strikes 2.0
Barely two weeks after the deadly Pulwama attacks which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans, the Indian security establishment has repaid Pakistan in kind by carrying out what is being termed as Surgical Strikes 2.0 across the Pakistani side of the LoC.
As per reports, the strikes were carried out on terror camps in Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad being run by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Surgical Strike 2.0 was carried out by the Indian Air Force, which is said to have launched airstrikes on terror camps and launchpads at 3.30am. According to reports, the aircraft from the Air Force flew undetected — and dropped payloads of 1,000 kg bombs on Jaish bases across the LoC, reportedly killing between 200-300 terrorists.
Sources close to the IAF claim that the air strikes were executed by as many as 12 Mirage 2000 Indian fighter jets which flew in from air bases in Agra and Gwalior, and entered Pakistani airspace undetected before dropping massive payloads on terror camps across the Pakistani side of the border.
Reports say that terrorist launchpads in Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad were completely destroyed in the IAF air strikes — and that Jaish-e-Mohammed control rooms were also destroyed.
As expected, since the news of the air strikes started coming, many have taken to Twitter to congratulate the Indian Air Force for the daring attack on Pakistani soil.
Bollywood celebrities too have taken to Twitter to salute the IAF for the valourous attack.
Mess with the best, die like the rest. Salute #IndianAirForce.@narendramodi.
— Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) February 26, 2019
A TRULY BEAUTIFUL GOOD MORNING. THANKS @narendramodi SIR AND BRAVEHEARTS OF OUR ARMY . JAI HO . ????????????????????????
— Paresh Rawal (@SirPareshRawal) February 26, 2019
#BharatMataKiJai ????????
— Mallika Sherawat (@mallikasherawat) February 26, 2019
नमस्कार करते हैं। ????????????
— Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) February 26, 2019
नयी दिशा नयी दशा.. नयी रीति नयी नीति.. नए भारत को, सच्चे भारत के सपूतों को शत शत नमन. #ekbharatshreshthbharat https://t.co/m0fIqhxAz6
— Kailash Kher (@Kailashkher) February 26, 2019
Jai Hind ???????? ???????? #IndiaStrikesBack https://t.co/6dmzB7jNyb
— Vivek Anand Oberoi (@vivekoberoi) February 26, 2019
So proud of the Indian Air Force for the precise and befitting reply to reach the perpetrators a lesson. ???????? ????????. This is a new age India. Jai Hind #istandwiththeforces #IndiaStrikesBack #Surgicalstrike2 https://t.co/uLxNE3AV0z
— Aftab Shivdasani (@AftabShivdasani) February 26, 2019
Yaad Rahe.. naam, namak aur nishaan !!! Saluting our #indianairforce @IAF_MCC our leader and supreme commander @narendramodi @PMOIndia Jai Hind #SurgicalStrike2 #endterrorism
— Celina Jaitly (@CelinaJaitly) February 26, 2019
Jai Hind ???????? ???????? #IndiaStrikesBack https://t.co/6dmzB7jNyb
— Vivek Anand Oberoi (@vivekoberoi) February 26, 2019
Jai Hind! ????????
— Sonakshi Sinha (@sonakshisinha) February 26, 2019
As fellow actors took to Twitter to celebrate the air strikes, arguably two of Bollywood's biggest action stars — Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar — chose not to be left behind. Taking to Twitter, they expressed their respect for the IAF.
Respect @IAF_MCC Indian Air Force... Jai ho !!!
— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) February 26, 2019
Proud of our #IndianAirForce fighters for destroying terror camps. अंदर घुस के मारो ! Quiet no more! #IndiaStrikesBack
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) February 26, 2019
But even at such a time, some chose to play politics over the issue.
Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who recently acted in The Accidental Prime Minister, biopic of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, appeared to be hitting out at Rahul Gandhi for a tweet applauding the IAF's bravery.
???????? I salute the pilots of the IAF. ????????
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 26, 2019
Responding to the tweet, Kher said:
Today will be a good day to start saluting Prime Minister @narendramodi too.???????? https://t.co/cFrSQIz91o
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) February 26, 2019