CM seeks V-P's help to secure statehood for UT

'Peace is essential for progress and comes from a position of strength'

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Puducherry

CALLING for national unity on matters of security and development, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday stressed that issues of nationalism and national security transcend political boundaries. Interacting with students and faculty at JIPMER, he lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to send an all-party delegation of Members of Parliament abroad, terming it a 'visionary step' that received a positive response, both nationally and internationally.

"All political parties converged. That is the Bharat we need—united every day on matters of national security and national development. I am sure this initiative will go a long way," the Vice President said.

Dhankhar hailed the success of Operation Sindoor, stating that the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack challenged India's ethos. He praised the Armed Forces for a calibrated response, citing strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba bases in Muridke and Bahawalpur. Highlighting India's zero-tolerance policy on terrorism, he emphasized diplomacy over war, asserting that the world now sees a bold, confident Bharat focused on indigenous defence production.