Alipurduar, May 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday said ëOperation Sindoorí was far from over and warned that India would continue to exact a heavy price on those who sponsor terrorism, asserting that Pakistan had already been hit ìthree times inside its home.î
Addressing his first rally in West Bengal since the launch of ëOperation Sindoorí earlier this month, the PM invoked the regons deep cultural and emotional connection with ësindoorí, referring to the traditional ritual of Sindoor Khelaí observed by Bengali women during Durga Puja.
Now that I am standing on the sacred land of Sindoor Khela, it is only right that we speak about a new resolve against terrorism Operation Sindoor, he said.
The PM said: ìOn April 22, the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam shook the nation. The pain and anger felt across West Bengal were deeply understood. I could feel your outrage. The terrorists dared to wipe off ësindoorí from the foreheads of our sisters. But our brave soldiers made them realise the power of that ësindoor.íî
ìFrom this land of Bengal, I, on behalf of 140 crore Indians, declare that ëOperation Sindoorí is not over yet,î he said.
ìThere was a lot of anger in West Bengal, too, after the barbarity committed by terrorists in Pahalgam. I understood very well the anger and rage that was within you. The terrorists dared to wipe away the ësindoorí of our sisters. Our Army made them realise the power of ësindoor,íî PM Modi said.
Asserting Indiaís zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism, he said, ìAfter the Pahalgam attack, India has told the world that if there is a terrorist attack on India, the enemy will have to pay a heavy price for it. Pakistan should understand that we have entered your house and killed you three times.î
While the PM did not spell out the details of the three instances, his remarks are being widely interpreted as a reference to the 2016 surgical strikes following the Uri terror attack, the 2019 Balakot air strikes after the Pulwama bombing, and the recent cross-border strikes as part of ëOperation Sindoorí.
ìWe destroyed cross-border terror infrastructure, which Pakistan had never thought of. We have hit Pakistan thrice inside their homes,î he said.
In a direct rebuke to Islamabadís military establishment, PM Modi accused Pakistan of institutionalising terrorism.
ìTerrorism and mass murder are the biggest expertise of the Pakistani Army, because whenever there is an open war, they face defeat,î he said.
The PM also invoked historical wounds, linking Pakistanís legacy of terrorism to the 1971 Bangladesh War.
ìEver since it came into existence, Pakistan has only nurtured terror. It has carried out terrorist attacks on India ever since the partition in 1947. After a few years, the terror it spread in our neighbourhood ñ present-day Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) – is also unforgettable,î he said.
ìNo one can forget the way the Pakistan Army committed rapes and murders in East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh) and the terror it had unleashed there,î PM Modi said.
He gave a stern warning saying India would relentlessly pursue terrorists across the border and ensure that enemies of peace face the consequences.
ìPakistan, the country that nurtures terrorism, has nothing positive to offer to the world. Since its very inception, it has been a breeding ground for terror and violence. But India has changed. We no longer tolerate such cowardly acts. And ëOperation Sindoorí is our firm answer,î the PM said.
