PM Modi during a rally in Bihar’s Madhubani district. (image-X/narendramodi)
Madhubani, Bihar: In his first public reaction to the Pahalgam terror attack on Wednesday that killed 26 people, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a strong-worded message saying that India will identify and punish every terrorist and their backers. “Terrorism will not go unpunished,” he said.
Addressing a rally in Bihar’s Madhubani district, PM Modi said that the entire country was in pain because of the Pahalgam terrorist attack killing Indian civilians. “From Kargil to Kanyakumari, there is grief and rage,” he said.
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Stating how the terror attack had attacked India’s soul, PM Modi said, “Someone has lost a son, someone has lost a brother, someone has lost life partner. Someone spoke Bengali, someone spoke Kannada, someone was Marathi, someone was Odia, someone was Gujarati and someone was Bihar’s son.”
Promising that terrorists who executed the tragic attack and those who plotted it would “get a punishment they cannot imagine,” the Prime Minister affirmed, “The time has come to raze whatever is left of the terror haven. The will of 140 crores will break the back of the masters of terror,” he said, his words directed at Pakistan, which is known to have backed acts of terror on Indian soil.”
In a rare switch to English aimed to send a message across the globe. PM Modi said that India will “identify, track, and punish” every terrorist and their backers.
“We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished. Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done. The entire nation is firm in this resolve. Everyone who believes in humanity is with us. I thank the people of various countries and their leaders who have stood with us in this time,” he said.
Meanwhile, questions have raised over security lapses that led to the terror attack at the tourist spot also known as “mini Switzerland” for its fabled lush green meadows.
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The Congress Working Committee (CWC) attacked the Union Home Ministry and blamed the Centre for “immense security failure” and “intelligence lapses.” In its resolution, the CWC further claimed that the attack on tourists took place at a site where three-tier security arrangements have always been in place.
Despite a heavy presence of tourists, there were no security personnel deployed on the Pahalgam-Baisaran route. No security personnel was deployed along the 5.5-km stretch, which is only accessible on foot or by ponies, reported India Today.
