'Ready For Combat If Nation Calls': Telangana Minister Uttam Reddy Amid India-Pak Tensions

Reacting to terror attack in Pahalgam, Uttam Reddy blamed Pakistan for backing perpetrators and strongly condemned violence carried out under religious pretexts.

Uttam Reddy voiced support for ‘Operation Sindoor’, India’s retaliatory military operation launched earlier this week targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan’s Punjab province.

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Telangana Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, a former fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force, said he would not hesitate to return to combat duty if the nation required his service once again. Speaking informally with journalists at Gandhi Bhavan, Reddy reflected on his military career and addressed the recent escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. He described his early years in uniform, joining the Air Force at the age of 16 and flying MiG-21s by 1982. 

"I was just 20, already a fighter pilot," a release quoted him as saying, as reported by PTI.

Reacting to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, Reddy blamed Pakistan for backing the perpetrators and strongly condemned violence carried out under religious pretexts. Reddy voiced support for ‘Operation Sindoor’, India’s retaliatory military operation launched earlier this week targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan’s Punjab province. He claimed the mission involved Rafale fighter jets and Kamikaze drones launched from within Indian territory.

“India had every reason to hit back. Personally, I believe the Kashmir conflict won’t truly end until India takes back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir,” he opined.

When asked whether he would return to combat, the 62-year-old minister responded firmly: “If there’s a full-scale conflict and I’m needed - I’ll fight again.”

The statement of the Minister comes days after Karnataka Minister said that he would go to Pakistan as a suicide bomber if Centre or PM permit. Karnataka Minister Khan told ANI, "I am ready to sacrifice myself for the country. If the central government and the Prime Minister permit, I will go to Pakistan as a suicide bomber... We (Indian muslims) have nothing to do with Pakistan, we hate it..."