In a stern warning to the perpetrators of the recent Pahalgam terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday declared "a war on terror" and vowed to “identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers”.
Addressing an event on the National Panchayat Day in Bihar’s Madhubani district, Modi condemned the April 22 massacre of 25 Indians and one Nepalese tourist and declared that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack would be brought to justice.
“India will not rest until every terrorist and their backers are punished,” he said. “The enemies of the country have dared to attack the soul of India,” Modi said, adding that the country’s spirit remained unbroken by such acts of terror.
Modi, who mostly speaks in Hindi even during his foreign tours, made a rare switch to English to ensure that his strong words, first since the Pahalgam terrorist attack, were heard beyond Indian territory.
"Today from the soil of Bihar I say to the whole world that India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. They will be punished beyond their imagination,” said Modi in English.
"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," he added.
Stressing that terrorism posed a significant threat to India's development and stability, Modi said his government had a zero-tolerance policy toward terrorist activities and organisations targeting Indian interests.
The entire country shared the pain of the bereaved families, he said. “Some have lost their sons, some brothers and some a spouse. Some of them spoke Bengali, some Kannada, some Marathi, some Odiya, some Gujarati and some were from Bihar. Today, from Kargi to Kanyakumari, their sorrow is the sorrow of the entire nation,” he added.
"Everyone who believes in humanity is with us. I thank people and leaders of various countries who have stood with us," Modi said. as he acknowledged the reaction of world leaders after the attack on Tuesday.
On the occasion, Modi gifted poll-bound Bihar development projects worth Rs 13,480 crore. He also flagged off the country's second and Bihar's first 'Namo Bharat Express' train, which will run between Patna and Jaynagar. The train was inaugurated virtually and is being considered a major achievement for Bihar. The new train will operate six days a week, enhancing the travel experience between Jaynagar and Patna. The high-speed train will pass through major stations, including Darbhanga, Samastipur, Barauni, and Mokama.
The Prime Minister also unveiled a Rs1,173-crore power project and laid the foundation stone for an LPG bottling plant in Gopalganj, to be built at a cost of Rs 340 crore.
All senior state NDA leaders were present on the occasion at the dais.
Addressing the gathering, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and said the entire country was united in the fight against terrorism. He again reaffirmed his political alignment, saying he would remain in the NDA “forever."
