Narendra Modi rebuffs Pakistan challenge

KOZHIKODE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday rebuffed the Pakistani leaders’ oft-repeated threat of 1,000 years’ war, challenging the people of Pakistan to compete in the bigger war against poverty and unemployment faced by both nations that won freedom together in 1947. In his first public speech after the massacre of 18 soldiers in Uri last Sunday, Mr Modi told the leaders of “Pakistan, hear this. The sacrifice of 18 of our soldiers will not go in vain... India has succeeded in isolating you in the world. We will ramp it up and force you live alone in the world”.

Thousands of supporters on the beach by the Arabian sea lustily cheered Mr Modi as he scoffed at the failures of Pakistan as State. He was addressing the rally organized in connection with the three-day BJP national council, which started here on Friday. “Today I am speaking to the people Pakistan directly” he said adding that the world could expect nothing from those who read out terrorist-scripted speeches.

Mr Modi praised the valiant soldiers who laid down their lives to protect the motherland.  “Today 1.25 billion Indians are ready to pay any price for our pride and peace. That's why I see a glorious future for India," he said. But “that day is not far when people of Pakistan will get in the fray to fight against their leaders and terrorists, he said.

Blunting the loud applause that rose when he said, “we are ready to fight”, Mr Modi, dramatically brought in the element of peace and development. He appealed to the people of Pakistan to forge ahead for a war against poverty, unemployment, infant mortality, maternal mortality and other inequalities, common to both nations of the subcontinent. The people of Pakistan must ask their leaders why after both countries got freedom together, India exports software and “your country export terrorists”.

He said “before 1947, your ancestors used to consider undivided India their land, worshipped it. And in their memory I want to tell you something. The people of Pakistan please ask your leaders, you have PoK. You cannot manage it”.Mr Modi wondered why the Pakistani leaders who spoke of Kashmir could not manage Bangladesh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Pakhtun, Balochistan and Sindh.He was suggesting East Pakistan’s liberation and rebirth as Bangladesh, a fate which would befall Pakistan if it failed to manage other trouble spots.He said the people of Pakistan must first ask their leaders to give security to lives of its citizens.

In the fight against the array of deprivations, “let’s see who gets there first. People of Pakistan and India will like this competition. Youth of Pakistan, come let’s fight. Let’s see who ends unemployment first - India or Pakistan.Recalling Jan Sangh leader Deen Dayal Upadhyay's birth centenary, he said 21st century is Asia's century. But there is one country in Asia that worked towards thwarting that vision. It was doing all it could to ensure “Asia is bloodied, is bruised by violence, falls prey to terror”.He said wherever terrorism was happening in Asia, the blame was on one country. "Not just India, every country in Asia believes this. One country is exporting terror everywhere. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, all neighbouring countries and in the world, wherever a terror attack takes place," he said.

Mr Modi said that in the last few months, 17 times terrorists in groups of 4 or 6 tried crossing over the border to spread destruction. But the brave soldiers thwarted those efforts, they killed them on the LoC. During the last few months, Indian soldiers had killed 110 terrorists - the highest in recent years.  ''Saving the country from these 17 possible attacks was done by soldiers, they stood guard and secured citizens, we are proud of their service, their sacrifice'', he said. “The neighbouring country succeeded in one attack and 17 soldiers had to fall prey.   If they had succeeded in all 17 incidents you can imagine what would have happened," he said.