Prime Miniter Narendra Modi on Saturday invoked the people of Pakistan to fight a “war” against common enemies that attack both neighbours – poverty, hunger, unemployment, illiteracy, maternal and infant mortality while challenging the “rulers of Pakistan” to “listen up” that the “martyrdom of our soldiers will not go in vain”.
Modi also accused Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of “reading a script written by terrorists” at the UN General Assembly. “The leaders of our neighbouring country said they will fight a 1000-year war with India. Where are they hiding now? What we see them doing is serenading terrorists at an international forum… I want to talk to the people of Pakistan… I want to tell them that there is no hope from their leaders who read scripts written by terrorists,” said Modi.
Another significant aspect of the PM’s politically brilliant speech was the continuum he created with his Balochistan pitch on the Independence Day by reminding Pakistan of its internal strife in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , Gilgit-Baltistan as well as Balochistan before interfering in Kashmir.
“I want to talk directly to the people of Pakistan. I want to tell them that they should not place their hopes in leaders who read scripts written by terrorists. I want to tell the people of Pakistan that we have common ancestors, that our forefathers worshipped the same land before 1947. In the memory of our forefathers, I want to talk to the people of Pakistan,” the PM said.
“I want to tell them to ask their leaders what is happening in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. What happened in East Pakistan which is now Bangladesh? What is happening in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit and Balochistan. You cannot handle what you have and you want to interfere in Kashmir?” Modi said.
Delivering a strong message for the first time since 18 soldiers were killed by suspected Pakistan-trained terrorists in Uri, the PM deftly addressed the concerns of his domestic constituency without indulging in the kind of strident rhetoric that could alarm the international community.
“For the past few days, the whole country is agitated. In Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan-trained terrorists killed our 18 soldiers. These terrorists should listen up – We will not forget what they have done. The martyrdom of our soldiers will not go in vain,” he said.
For the last one week, the PM has not spoken out much except issuing a guarded tweet on the Uri attack. But as he addressed a massive public gathering of BJP workers here, the PM did not disappoint. He promised counter-action, without sounding like a war-monger. He repeated the assertion twice more in his speech, warning Pakistan. “Terrorism is the enemy of humanity. India will not bend. India will defeat terrorism. The leaders of Pakistan, I want you to pay attention – the martyrdom of our soldiers will not go unpunished,” Modi said.
At the same, time, the PM made a distinction between Pakistani “awam (people)” whom he urged to wage a war against common socio-economic ills that afflict both neighbours and its “huqmaran (leaders)” He displayed statesmanship as he appealed to the people of both countries, who “worshipped a common land” before 1947 and he showed that India’s goal is to develop and prosper while it is fully capable of repelling a consistently meddling neighbour.
“People of Pakistan should ask their leaders why things are so different in two countries which became independent at the same time. India is exporting software while Pakistan is exporting terrorism. People of Pakistan, I want to tell you that your leaders are misleading you. They tell you they will fight a 1000 year war with India,” the PM said, and then challenged Pakistan to wage a war, a different kind as he later pointed out.
“I want to tell these leaders that India now has a Government which accepts their challenge. We will fight a war with them. But this war will be fought by the young men of Pakistan and we in India alike. The young men of Pakistan, let us fight against unemployment and see who defeats it first. Let us fight illiteracy and see whether we do it first or you defeat us in this fight. Infants, expectant mothers die in both countries. Let us both see who defeats infant and maternal mortality first,” he said.
Modi underlined that India has isolated Pakistan internationally and efforts in this direction will continue.
“India has isolated you (Pakistan). We will make sure you stand alone in the world. The day is not far when people in Pakistan will rise and fight their leaders and terrorism alike,” he said.