Bhubaneswar, May 11: Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj called the recent cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan a major "diplomatic win" for the country and praised the Indian Armed Forces for their successful operations and for taking down enemy drones.

"Ceasefire declaration is a diplomatic win for India. Our Armed Forces destroyed terrorist camps, Pakistan military base, and drones successfully. I thank the armed forces for their great job," the minister said.

Suraj also addressed efforts to ensure students' safe transit from Jammu and Kashmir to Odisha. Highlighting the state government's coordination, the minister informed that the Higher Education and Transport Departments have released a toll-free number to assist students.

Meanwhile, Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati also appealed to people of the state to stand by the armed forces in their fight to protect the motherland. Governor Kambhampati was speaking after convening a meeting of the representatives belonging to different faiths to discuss the situation after the Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian armed forces targeting terror sites in Pakistan.

"A meeting of the representatives belonging to different faiths was convened to discuss the situation after Operation Sindoor. All the representatives unequivocally supported and expressed solidarity with the armed forces," Guv Kambhampati told reporters on Saturday.

"I also appeal to all the people belonging to Odisha to stand by the armed forces in their fight to protect the motherland. It is our responsibility in this hour to express solidarity with the people who are fighting to protect the borders. I pay homage to those souls who departed from us, who lost their lives in the terror attack, and I also pay homage to the martyrs who lost their lives in protecting the motherland," he added.

India said on Saturday that Pakistan has violated the cessation of hostilities reached between DGMOs of the two countries earlier on the stoppage of firing and military action, and that the Indian Army is retaliating and dealing with the border intrusions.

At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this is a breach, and India takes "very serious note of these violations." India called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation seriously and responsibly.

Misri said India's Armed Forces have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control.

"For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan. This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today. The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations and we take very very serious note of these violations," Misri said.

"We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation. They have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control," he added.

(ANI)

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