Patna, April 24 In his first address following the barbaric terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday issued a strong and unequivocal message to the perpetrators of the violence, asserting that India will pursue them to the "ends of the Earth" and that terrorism will not go unpunished.
Speaking at a massive gathering in Madhubani, Bihar, on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day, the Prime Minister condemned the "cowardly" attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, mostly tourists. He called upon the public to observe a two-minute silence in memory of the victims.
"From the soil of Bihar, I want to tell the world -- India will identify, trace, and punish every terrorist and their backers," PM Modi declared.
"We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished. Every effort will be made to ensure justice. The nation is united in this resolve. Everyone who believes in humanity is with us," he said.
Calling the attack an assault on "India's very soul," the Prime Minister said, "The brutal killing of innocent citizens in Pahalgam has deeply saddened the country. From Kargil to Kanyakumari, the whole of India is grieving."
He emotionally recalled the diversity of the victims, noting, "In this terrorist attack, some lost their son, some lost brothers, some lost their life partners. Some of the victims spoke Bangla, some spoke Kannada, some Marathi, Odia, Gujarati and Bihari. From Kargil to Kanyakumari, we are all grieving for them."
Reaffirming his government's commitment to bring the attackers to justice, he said, "Those who carried out this terrorist attack and those who planned it will receive a punishment far greater than they can imagine. We will punish them."
The Prime Minister also thanked nations that extended support to India in the aftermath of the terror attack, which was orchestrated by The Resistance Front, a Pakistan-based outfit linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The attack has since triggered a string of strong retaliatory diplomatic and strategic actions by India, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, closure of the Attari-Wagah border, and cancellation of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals.
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