Kept my word, razed terror hideouts to the ground: Modi in Bihar

Hindustan Times

a day ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that he had delivered on his promise made during his last visit to Bihar to pursue and punish terrorists and their backers and asserted that the fight against terror was 'neither over, nor has it come to a halt'.
'After the dreadful terrorist attack in Pahalgam, I had promised the country from the land of Bihar that the hideouts of the perpetrators of terrorism would be razed to the ground, that they would get a punishment beyond their imagination. Today, when I have come to Bihar, I have come here after fulfilling my promise,' PM Modi said at a public event in Bikramganj in Rohtas district, referring to India's successful military action against terror organisations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7 under Operation Sindoor, in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
On his last visit to Bihar on April 24, PM Modi vowed to punish those responsible for the deadly terror strike in Kashmir that had killed 26 people. 'Friends, today from the soil of Bihar, I say it to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth,' PM Modi said in Madhubani district on April 24.
At Friday's event 300km away, the prime minister said those who dared to wipe off 'sindoor' from the foreheads of our sisters have had their hideouts and safe havens reduced to rubble by the brave armed forces in one stroke.
In his speech, PM Modi also paid tributes to Mohammed Imtiyaz, a Border Security Force jawan from Bihar who had laid down his life for the country on May 10.
'At present, the enemy has seen just one arrow from our quiver. Our fight against terrorism is neither over, nor has it come to a halt. If terror raises its hood again, it will be dragged out of its hole and trampled,' he said.
PM Modi also referred to the progress made in dealing with Maoist violence, saying India was fighting against its enemies, both across the border as well as within the country.
He said there were 125 Maoist-affected districts before 2014 when he took over as prime minister. 'Now the number has been reduced to just 18 and the day is not far when they will be completely wiped out to ensure peace, safety, development, education and employment everywhere,' he said.
He also took a dig at the Congress and the RJD for 'trying to cheat people with social justice while doing everything to loot and exploit the deprived sections of Dalits and the backward classes when they were in power'.
'Before the NDA government in Bihar, the state was devoid of basic infrastructure, roads and electricity. But that era is over now. Bihar has modern airports and high-speed trains, four- and six-lane roads crisscrossing the state, electricity, and a huge infrastructure development. All these works could have been done earlier also, but those in power looted and exploited the poor by taking away their land for jobs (in an oblique reference to the land for job case involving RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav). This was their style of social justice to exploit the deprived lot to ensure a lavish lifestyle for themselves. Now they are desperate for power and again trying to lure the deprived lot with social justice talk after doing the biggest injustice with them when they were in power. People need to be wary of them,' he added.