NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence Friday on the most dangerous clash in decades, saying he had begun a new era where India “will no longer be helpless in the face of terror” and casting his critics as foes of the nation.Modi’s remarks, delivered at an election rally in Tamil Nadu, marked his first direct comments on days of tit-for-tat airstrikes that raised fears the two nuclear-armed neighbours were stumbling into a broader war, Washington Post reported.Modi said that criticising the Indian government’s handling of the strike was tantamount to aiding its arch-rival Pakistan. “The world is supporting India’s fight against terror but a few parties suspect our fight against terror,” Modi said. Such “statements are helping Pakistan and harming India … I want to ask them: do you support our armed forces or suspect them?”Meanwhile, Indian Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu reiterated his no-war stance saying “war is the refuge of a failed government”.Sidhu, who on Thursday had said that peace and dialogue are the only solutions to terrorism, on Friday quoted Chanakya in saying, “A war in which the king’s life is secure is not war, it is politics.”Taking to Twitter, Sidhu said, “War is the refuge for a failed government; how many more innocent lives and jawans will you sacrifice for your hollow political motives.” Ahead of the general election, Sidhu on Thursday had advised people to choose wisely saying, “We have a choice to change the nation’s destiny.”He had also said, “Fear has been among us as an unwelcome guest for the past five years.” Meanwhile, Indian West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made allegations that Indian Modi is directly responsible for the Pulwama attack.According to the The Hindu, the chief minister claimed that Indian premier did not try to prevent the Pulwama incident despite knowing that a militant attack was about to take place. Addressing a meeting of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Banerjee asked why the prime minister did not play a pro-active role in stopping the attack.“You (Modi) knew that the attack would take place. Intelligence input was there. But they (jawans) were neither airlifted, nor was there any naka checking or road checking. Everyone was allowed to move freely. Why? In order to take advantage during the election. Now Modi is trying play a game of war,” Banerjee said.“They (BJP) are calling people and offering money to join the party. Where is this money coming from,” Banerjee said. She also accused the BJP of instigating Hindus against the Muslims. Veteran Indian lyricist-screenwriter Javed Akhtar said he does not understand the agenda of Pakistan to “sponsor terrorist activities in India”."I don't understand what is their (Pakistan) agenda and what will they get out of it by constantly sponsoring terrorism. It's an open truth that they support terrorist organisations but they are constantly denying it," Akhtar said on the sidelines of an event.Akhtar and his actress-wife Shabana Azmi decided not to attend an event in Pakistan which was being organised by the Karachi Art Council days after a suicide bomber killed 40 CRPF troopers in Pulwama.
from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2Xw5tl0
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