Opposition tried to use Pulwama attack for own gain: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday referred to a Pakistan minister’s assertion admitting the nation’s function within the 2019 Pulwama assault in Kashmir to hit out at opposition events, and mentioned that even whereas India was mourning the sacrifice of its troopers, there have been others who indulged in “dirty politics” for “political gains”.

“The country cannot forget the unwarranted statements made after the Pulwama attack. Dirty politics laced with selfishness and arrogance was at its peak when the country was suffering from immense pain,” the Prime Minister mentioned on the event of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas throughout an tackle in Gujarat’s Kevadia.

“But the real face of such people has been exposed after the truth was accepted in the parliament of our neighbouring country,” Modi mentioned after paying tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the Statue of Unity on the chief’s 145th start anniversary.

The PM was referring to remarks by Pakistan’s science and know-how minister Fawad Chaudhry, who triggered an argument on Thursday after bragging in Parliament about “beating India on its own soil”. “Hum ne Hindustan ko ghuss ke maara hai (We have entered and attacked India),” Chaudhry mentioned, including: “And our success in Pulwama, that was the success of this nation under Imran Khan’s leadership.”

This was the primary time a Pakistan minister has admitted what India has lengthy maintained — that the nation immediately and not directly encourages and helps terror teams focusing on India. Chaudhry later backtracked on his comment and mentioned he was solely referring to “post-Pulwama issues” when the “Pakistan Air Force taught a lesson to the Indian side after the air strike on February 26”.

Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers have been killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden automobile right into a bus, a part of a convoy of safety forces, in Pulwama on February 14, 2019.

In reprisal for the assault, Indian Air Force planes bombed a JeM coaching camp in Pakistan’s Balakot 12 days later. On February 27, 2019, Pakistan mentioned its fight jets focused areas close to Indian army installations throughout the Line of Control (LoC), and this sparked an aerial engagement between the air forces of the 2 nations.

On Saturday, PM Modi mentioned he remained silent regardless of all of the “accusations” towards him after the Pulwama terror assault.

“Politics done after the Pulwama attack shows that people can cross any limit for their political gains. I want to urge such political parties not to indulge in this kind of politics as it affects the morale of our security forces,” he mentioned, with out naming any occasion. “For your political gains, you should not play into the hands of anti-national forces, knowingly or unknowingly,” the PM added.

Opposition events have prior to now criticised the federal government over alleged safety lapses that allowed the phobia outfit to focus on the CRPF convoy in Kashmir. Earlier in February, on the primary anniversary of the assault, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi raised questions over the phobia strike, asking who was accountable for the “security lapses”and “who benefitted the most” from the assault.

On calls by the BJP to apologise, Congress chief Shashi Tharoor tweeted on Saturday mentioned he’s “trying to figure out” why the occasion is being requested to apologise. “For expecting the government to keep our soldiers safe? For rallying around the flag rather than politicising a national tragedy? For expressing condolences to the families of our martyrs?” he wrote.

The Prime Minister on Saturday additionally spoke concerning the want for nations to unite towards terrorism and mentioned India understands the ache of terror victims. In the backdrop of the current terror assault within the French city of Nice — the place an extremist decapitated a girl and killed two others on Thursday — Modi mentioned it was a matter of concern that some folks had come out in assist of terror.

Recently, the Emmanuel Macron-led French authorities has been criticised by some world leaders, together with Pakistan’s Imran Khan and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for what they mentioned was an anti-Muslim stance. New Delhi has maintained that it “deplores” such criticism of the French President.

“In the present situation, all the nations, all the governments and people of all the faiths must get united against terrorism. Peace, brotherhood and respect for each other is the identity of humanity. Terrorism and violence is not good for anyone,” Modi mentioned.

The PM additionally introduced up the months-long border standoff with China alongside the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and mentioned Indian troopers are giving a “befitting reply” to these “eyeing” our land. “India is building hundreds of kilometres of roads, bridges and tunnels near our borders. The country is committed and well-prepared to protect its honour and sovereignty,” Modi mentioned.

On the difficulty of the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s particular standing by the central authorities final yr, Modi mentioned he was “fortunate” to get the chance to finish the “unfinished task” of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. “Now, Kashmir has embarked on its journey of development,” the PM mentioned, referring to the federal government’s August 5, 2019 transfer nullifying Article 370 — which gave the erstwhile state its particular standing — as J&Okay’s “unification” with India.

The Prime Minister spoke of the slowing unfold of the pandemic within the nation and mentioned Indian residents had come collectively to struggle the virus and “as a result, India is coming out of the outbreak and marching ahead”.

(With inputs from PTI)