Bagdogra, May 29 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the brutal terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam was an assault on humanity itself, but India's swift and precise response through Operation Sindoor has dealt a decisive blow to terrorism and exposed Pakistan on the global stage.
Addressing the 50th-anniversary celebrations of Sikkim's statehood virtually from Bagdogra, PM Modi strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack, in which Pakistan-linked terrorists killed 26 people.
"Tourism is not just about leisure, it is a celebration of diversity. But what the terrorists did in Pahalgam was not just an attack on Indians; it was an attack on the soul of humanity, on the spirit of brotherhood," the Prime Minister said.
Stressing the national unity in the face of terror, he said, "The terrorists shattered the happiness of many families; they conspired to divide us as Indians. Yet today, the entire world is witnessing a stronger, more united India."
In a firm tone, PM Modi said India responded to terrorism and its sponsors with "unwavering unity and sent a strong, clear message".
"They tried to wipe the sindoor off the heads of our daughters, leaving them in grief, but we responded with Operation Sindoor, delivering a fitting blow to terrorism," he said.
Under Operation Sindoor, the Indian Armed Forces launched targeted precision strikes on nine high-value terror infrastructures located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
PM Modi noted that while these hubs were dismantled, Pakistan retaliated by attacking Indian military, civilian, and religious sites.
"When the terror hubs were destroyed, Pakistan, in fear, tried to attack our citizens and armed forces. But in that too, Pakistan was exposed. We destroyed several of their air bases and proved that India can do whatever it wants with precision and promptness," he said.
Earlier, in one of his speeches, the Prime Minister reiterated that Operation Sindoor is not over and is the "new normal" in India's fight against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.
--IANS
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