BikanerPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that the country’s enemies have learnt what happens when ‘sindoor’ becomes gunpowder, and lauded India’s armed forces for creating such a trap that Pakistan was forced to go down on its knees.
In his first public address in Rajasthan after Operation Sindoor that was launched in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, the prime minister slammed Pakistan, and said in response to the attack on April 22, “we destroyed nine biggest terror hideouts in 22 minutes”.
“The world and the enemies of the country have seen what happens when ‘sindoor’ turns into ‘barood’ (gunpowder),” he said at the public meeting in Palana in Bikaner, which shares a border with Pakistan.
“Ab toh Modi ki naso mein lahu nahi garam sindoor beh raha hai (Not blood but sindoor runs in Modi’s veins),” he said, adding, Pakistan will have to pay a heavy price for every terrorist attack.
He said India’s response to the terror attack was not a game of vengeance but a “new form of justice” and there will be no trade or talk with Pakistan, there will be talk only about Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
In a stern message to Pakistan, he said India is not going to be scared by nuclear threats and if there is a terrorist attack on the country then it will give a befitting reply.
“If there is a terrorist attack on India, it will get a befitting reply. The time and methods will also be decided by our army and the conditions will also be ours. India is not going to be scared by the threat of an atom bomb. Thirdly, we will not see the perpetrators of terror and the government patronising the terrorists separately. We will consider them as one,” he said, adding these are three “sutras” from Operation Sindoor.
He said the game of Pakistan of state and non-state actors will not work anymore.
Lauding the armed forces for carrying out Operation Sindoor, he said “Our government gave free hand to all three armed forces. Together they created such a trap that Pakistan was forced to go down on its knees”.
Noting that Pakistan had tried to target the Nal air base in Bikaner but could not cause any damage to it, he said in contrast “No one knows when Pakistan’s Rahimyar Khan air base will open again. It is in the ICU. The attack has destroyed it”.
“Pakistan can never win a direct fight against India. Whenever there is a direct flighgt, Pakistan has to face defeat again and again. That is why Pakistan has made terrorism a weapon to fight against India,” he said.
Modi recalled his public rally in Rajasthan’s Churu after the 2019 Balakot airstrike, and said he had then stated that, “Saugandh mujhe is mitti ki, mein desh nahi jhukne dunga, mein desh nahi mitne dunga (he had taken a vow that he would not let the country down)”.
“Today, from the land of Rajasthan, I want to say to the countrymen that those who had set out to erase sindoor have been wiped out. Those who shed the blood of Hindustan have paid for every drop of it. Those who were proud of their weapons are now buried under a pile of rubble,” he said.
“This is not a game of vengeance, but this is a new form of justice, this is Operation Sindoor. This is not just anger, this is the fierce form of a capable India. This is the new form of India,” he said.
Referring to the 2016 surgical strikes and the Balakote air strike, Modi said earlier India carried out attacks by entering into their houses but now the attack was directly on their chest.
He said Pakistan used to spread terror, kill innocent people and create an atmosphere of fear in India.
“Now, Modi, the servant of ‘Maa Bharti’, is standing here with his head held high. Modi’s mind remains cool but his blood is hot,” he said.
He said there will be no trade or talk with Pakistan, there will be talk only about Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“And if Pakistan continues to export terrorists, it will have to beg for every penny. Pakistan will not get India’s rightful share of water. Playing with the blood of Indians will cost Pakistan dearly. This is India’s resolve and no power in the world can shake us from this resolve,” he said.
India has been maintaining that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan will remain in “abeyance” until Islamabad “credibly and irrevocably” abjures support to cross-border terrorism.
A day after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people on April 22, India announced several punitive measures against Pakistan including suspension of the IWT.
The prime minister observed that security and prosperity both are necessary for the creation of a developed India.
“This is possible only when every corner of India becomes strong,” he added.
Modi also spoke about the multi-party delegations being sent abroad to highlight India’s resolve to confront state-sponsored terrorism emanating from Pakistan and assert its right to self-defence following Operation Sindoor.
“To expose the truth, our all party delegations are reaching all over the world. The real face of Pakistan will be shown to the whole world,” he said.
India carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Indian forces launched a fierce counter-attack on several Pakistani military installations.
India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the military confrontation after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
IWT will remain in abeyance till Pak stops cross-border terrorism: India
New Delhi: India on Thursday once again asserted that the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan will remain in “abeyance” until Islamabad “credibly and irrevocably” abjures support to cross-border terrorism as “water and blood” cannot flow together.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also said that any bilateral talks with Islamabad will only be on vacation of illegally occupied territories of Kashmir by Pakistan.
“You are well aware of our position that any India-Pakistan engagement has to be bilateral,” he said in response to a question on US President Donald Trump showing interest in helping India and Pakistan in resolving the Kashmir issue.
“I would like to remind you that talks and terror don’t go together,” Jaiswal said.
“On terrorism itself, we are open to discussing the handing over to India of terrorists whose list was provided to Pakistan some years ago,” he said.
Jaiswal added: “I would like to underline that any bilateral discussion on Jammu & Kashmir will only be on the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan.” Asked about the Indus Waters Treaty, it will remain in abeyance till Islamabad stops supporting cross-border terrorism.
“It will remain in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. As our prime minister has said, ‘Water and blood cannot flow together’,” he added.
India on April 23 announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
The measures were announced a day after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
India carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructures early on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10.
The Pakistani attempts were strongly responded to by the Indian side by inflicting heavy damages to a number of key Pakistani military installations including air bases, air defence systems, command and control centres and radar sites.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on May 10 announced that India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect.
