Must step forward to free your country from disease of terror: PM to Pak youth

In his first visit to his home state since Operation Sindoor, Modi recalled the success of the military action in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, and said: “I want to ask the people of Pakistan, what did you achieve? India has become the world’s fourth largest economy, what’s the state of your country? Who destroyed the future of your children, who forced you to wander around helplessly? Een atankwaad ke aakaon ne (the bosses of these terrorists).”

“Your government and your army are supporting terrorists. Terrorism has become a source to earn money for your government and army. Pakistan’s youth will have to decide, Pakistan’s children will have to decide, if this path is right for them. Is it doing any good for them,” he said. “They are creating dangers in your lives, destroying your future, pushing you into darkness.”

#WATCH | Bhuj, Gujarat: “… sukh chain ki zindagi jiyo, roti khao, warna meri goli to hai hi…,” says PM Narendra Modi.

He further says, “The people of Pakistan need to come forward to get their country rid of terrorism. Their youth will have to come forward…'” pic.twitter.com/v84WxNjTGP

— ANI (@ANI) May 26, 2025

“India’s direction is very clear. India has chosen the path of development, peace and prosperity. I am confident that the spirit of Kutch will inspire to make India a developed country,” Modi, who inaugurated multiple development projects worth over Rs 53,400 crore in Bhuj, said.

On a two-day visit to Gujarat, the Prime Minister said, “India’s war is with the terrorism across border. Those hands that are upbringing terrorism, our enmity is with them.”

“Our policy is of zero tolerance against terrorism. Operation Sindoor has further made this policy clear. Whoever will try to make Indians bleed will get a response in their language,” he said.

“Operation Sindoor is a mission to protect humanity and end terrorism. After April 22 (when terrorists killed 26 people in Pahalgam), I never hid it. In a public meeting in Bihar, I had announced that I will reduce the terror bases to dust. We waited for 15 days for Pakistan to act against terrorism but perhaps terrorism is their bread and butter. When they did not do anything, I gave a free hand to our forces [to act],” Modi said.

“We attacked precisely. This shows how capable and disciplined our forces are. We showed the world that while sitting here we can hit and ruin terrorists’ locations and headquarters,” the Prime Minister said.

Referring to the 1971 war when women from Bhuj showed exemplary courage and rebuilt a runway that was destroyed by Pakistan within 72 hours, he said, “On May 9 night drones were seen along the Kutch borders. They thought Modi is from Gujarat but they did not know, remember 1971, these brave women who came here, they defeated Pakistan…. I am fortunate that these mothers of 1971 have blessed me and not only this they have gifted me a sindoor plant. This plant will be planted at the PM House. This sindoor plant will be developed into a huge tree.”

At a separate public meeting in Dahod, where he inaugurated the 9,000 HP Locomotive Rolling Stock Workshop, the Prime Minister said, Pakistan’s “only goal” is to pursue “enmity and hatred” for India. He said that Operation Sindoor, which “reduced nine terror bases to dust in 22 minutes”, was not mere action of the Armed Forces but an “expression of India’s emotion” towards protecting its motherland since time immemorial.

Invoking the sacrifices of freedom fighters of Dahod, who had supported Tatya Tope and Govind Guru of Mangadh, he said, “Dahod is the land of devotion and sacrifice. This region exemplifies our sacrifice for the protection of Mother India and humanity… It (protecting the land) is in India’s values. So tell me, whatever the terrorists did in Pahalgam, could India or Modi have remained silent after that?”

“If anyone tries to wipe off the sindoor of our sisters, they will be wiped out as a definite consequence. So, Operation Sindoor is not just an action of the Armed Forces, it is the expression of our historic values and our emotions of (protecting the motherland).”

Referring to a roadshow he held in Vadodara earlier in the day, where women in red sarees and with vermillion on foreheads felicitated him to celebrate the success of Operation Sindoor, Modi said, “The women (in Vadodara) chose me to be a representative to convey their congratulations to the Armed Forces for Operation Sindoor… Just think of it, the terrorists killed fathers in front of their children. It boils our blood to see those pictures. The terrorists challenged 1.40 billion Indians and so, Modi did exactly what the country and you chose me to be your leader for…”

Stating that the terror targets in Pakistan were meticulously identified and “reduced to dust”, he said, “What Modi did was to give a free hand to the three Armed forces and in turn, they did what no one had seen in several decades… We tracked down nine biggest terrorist bases across the border, confirmed their address and dealings… And in response to the game they (the terrorists) played on April 22, we took 22 minutes on the night of May 6 to reduce them (the terror bases) to dust. Flustered by India’s action, when the Pakistani armed forces attempted the misadventure to attack India, our armed forces taught them a lesson too…”

In his address, Modi said that after taking oath as the Prime Minister for the first time on May 26, 2014, the country took “decisions that were unimaginable and unprecedented, breaking shackles that were decades old to step forward in all sectors by increasing manufacturing and reducing exports”.