Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed India’s ‘zero-tolerance policy’ against terrorism on Sunday in the 138th Maan ki Baat. He recalled the 2008 Delhi blast and the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in India.
Addressing the 138th episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Terrorist attacks have hurt India for a long time. There was a time when serial blasts were a common occurrence in India. In this very month of September, on 13th September 2008, many innocent citizens were killed in the serial blasts in Delhi. Just a few weeks later, the massive 26/11 attack took place in Mumbai. Earlier too, after every terrorist attack, action was demanded against Pakistan, but not enough attention was paid to them. But today’s India is pursuing a Zero-tolerance Policy against terrorism.”
PM Modi recalls 2016 surgical strikes
The Prime Minister said a major historical achievement of India, the surgical strike, is set to complete 10 years.
He recalled the operation conducted by the Indian Army on September 28-29, 2016, against terrorist hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
“A major historical achievement of India is set to complete 10 years in just a day, the surgical strike. Ten years ago, on September 28–29, 2016, the Indian Army conducted a surgical strike on terrorist hideouts in PoJK. The world was astonished by the manner in which our brave soldiers crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to take action against terrorism,” he said.
PM Modi said the surgical strikes demonstrated a new example of India’s counter-terrorism policy to the world and described them as a decisive response to the long-standing suffering caused by terrorist attacks.
“The surgical strike boldly demonstrated a new example of India’s counter-terrorism policy to the entire world. It served as our decisive response to the long-standing suffering India had endured due to terrorist attacks,” he added.
The September 29, 2016 surgical strikes were carried out in response to the Uri terrorist attack and intelligence regarding terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control. The Indian Army conducted precision strikes targeting terrorists preparing to infiltrate into India.
From Balakot to Operation Sindoor
The Prime Minister also referred to the Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor, saying both were responses to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
“Over the past decade, from the Balakot airstrike to ‘Operation Sindoor, ‘ India has repeatedly sent a clear message: if terrorists dare to cast a hostile eye on India, they will face a befitting response,” PM Modi said.
The 2016 surgical strikes were seen as a shift towards a more proactive and deterrence-based approach to countering cross-border terrorism, with India demonstrating its willingness to undertake pre-emptive action against terrorist infiltration and impose costs on those supporting or facilitating terrorist activities.
PM Modi recalls 9/11 attacks
Speaking during the same episode, PM Modi also referred to the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States.
“This year also marks 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attack. Among the innocent people who lost their lives at America’s World Trade Center, the highest number, after Americans, were Indians. I remember, after becoming the Prime Minister in 2014, when I went to America to pay tribute to these innocent citizens in New York, and today, once again, on behalf of crores of citizens of Bharat, I offer my condolences to the bereaved families,” said the Prime Minister.
PM Modi highlights census responsibility
During his address, PM Modi also referred to the ongoing Census exercise, describing it as a national responsibility and stressing that every citizen has a role to play in the process.
He urged citizens to participate in the exercise and underscored the importance of their involvement in the national exercise.
The Prime Minister’s remarks on terrorism come as India recalls the 2016 surgical strikes, which were carried out following the Uri terror attack and were presented by the government as a response to cross-border terrorism.
