New Delhi: The entire country is “filled with anger”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio address Sunday, reiterating that India is determined to eliminate terrorism.
While talking about Operation Sindoor he said, “Today the entire nation is united against terrorism, filled with anger, but determined…During Operation Sindoor, the bravery displayed by our armed forces has made every Indian proud. The precision and accuracy with which our armed forces destroyed the terrorist hideouts across the border is simply extraordinary.”
Days after the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, India in response launched Operation Sindoor under which the armed forces carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
This was Modi’s first Mann Ki Baat address after Operation Sindoor. His address showed pictures and videos of India’s military response, destroyed terror camps, and protests condemning the Pahalgam terror attack.
In his last Mann Ki Baat address in April, broadcast days after the Pahalgam terror attack and before Operation Sindoor, Modi had said that families of the victims will get justice and assured the harshest response to “conspirators and culprits” of the attack.
Operation Sindoor has also instilled new confidence and enthusiasm in the fight against terrorism worldwide, the Prime Minister asserted Sunday.
Mentioning the Tiranga Yatra—taken out by the BJP to highlight the achievements of the armed forces and his government—Modi said a large number of young people are enrolling as civil defence volunteers.
“Friends, Operation Sindoor is not just a military mission, it is an image of our determination, courage, and a transforming India. And this image has filled the entire country with patriotic fervour painted in the colours of the tricolour. You must have seen, Tiranga Yatra was held in many cities, villages and towns of the country. Thousands of people holding Tiranga came out to honour and salute the country’s armed forces,” said the PM.
“In many of the cities, a large number of youth gathered to become civil defence volunteers and we saw videos from Chandigarh that went viral. Poems were being written on social media, songs of determination were being sung. Little children made paintings carrying important messages,” he further said, adding that during his recent visit to Bikaner, children had presented one such painting to him.
Modi said ‘Operation Sindoor’ has influenced the people of India so much that many families have made it a part of their lives by naming their children ‘Sindoor’. “In Bihar’s Katihar, Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar and in many other cities children born during that period have been named Sindoor.”
He also lauded the “indomitable courage” of the armed forces. “Our soldiers destroyed terror bases, this is their indomitable courage and it included the power of made-in-India weapons, equipment and technology. It also embodied the commitment to a self-reliant (Atmanirbhar Bharat) India. Our engineers, technicians and everyone’s hard work contributed to this victory.”
“After this campaign, a fresh wave of enthusiasm towards ‘vocal for local’ is being witnessed across the country. Certain instances truly touch the heart. A mother and father once said ‘we will only buy made-in-India toys for our children’. This will instill patriotism since their childhood. Some families pledged ‘we will spend our next vacation at a beautiful place in the country itself’,” he added.
The Prime Minister further said that many young people have resolved to even “wed in India”. “They will marry in the country itself. Someone even said, ‘any gift presented will be handmade by an Indian artisan’. Friends, this is India’s true strength—people’s emotional connect, and participation. I urge you all to come and take a pledge on this occasion that wherever possible in our lives, we will give priority to products made in India. This is not just about economic self-reliance it is a feeling of contributing towards nation-building. Our one step can become a huge contribution to India’s progress,” he added.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: Modi’s big focus on Op Sindoor, Oppn CMs’ demands, no Mamata or Nitish—key highlights of NITI Aayog meet