New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday strongly condemned Pakistan for 'sponsoring terrorism,' despite grappling with severe domestic challenges such as poverty, starvation, and unemployment.

In an interview with ANI, Gadkari reiterated India's firm stance against terrorism, citing Operation Sindoor as a 'decisive response' to the Pakistan-sponsored April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 innocent people in the name of religion.

'We are against terrorism. Operation Sindoor was our reaction to the killing of the innocent people. Pakistan sponsors terrorism. There is poverty, starvation and unemployment in Pakistan; still they support terrorism and enter our country and kill innocent people. Then our answer will have to be Operation Sindoor,' the Union Minister said.

Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Gadkari also elaborated on the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the April 22 attack, stating that the decision was made because of Pakistan's involvement in the terror activities.

'When partition happened, out of the six rivers that flow through the region, three were in Pakistan and three in India... Our share of the water also goes to Pakistan, and we can use that water for the regions of Punjab and Rajasthan. When we were giving water to Pakistan, they killed our people. That's why our government stopped the water... If Pakistan stops these terrorist activities, we will also stop,' he explained.

The suspension of the Indus Water Treaty between the two nations was announced on April 23 following the attack and was part of one of the diplomatic moves by India against Pakistan for their involvement in terror activities.

Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that the treaty will remain in abeyance until 'Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.' (ANI)