Kolkata, 29 May (H.S.)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday declared that Operation Sindoor is far from over and issued a stern warning that any future terrorist attack against India would invite an even more severe response. Addressing a public rally in West Bengal's Alipurduar, the Prime Minister said the operation was India's strong reply to the brutality of the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam and vowed continued action against terror sponsors.

Speaking from what he called the sacred land of Sindoor Khela, a ritual associated with Bengal’s Durga Puja festivities, the Prime Minister connected the cultural symbolism of sindoor with national resolve. “The terrorists dared to wipe off the sindoor from our sisters’ foreheads. Our brave soldiers showed them the power of that sindoor,” Modi declared, receiving thunderous applause from the audience.

Highlighting the nation’s pain and outrage following the Pahalgam attack, Modi said, “There was immense anger across Bengal. I felt your outrage. I speak today on behalf of 140 crore Indians — Operation Sindoor is not over yet.”

The Prime Minister reiterated India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and indirectly referenced Pakistan's involvement. Without naming specific operations, he noted, “We have entered your home and struck you three times,” widely interpreted as referring to the 2016 surgical strikes post-Uri attack, the 2019 Balakot air strikes after Pulwama, and the latest cross-border strikes under Operation Sindoor.

“Pakistan must understand — if there is another attack on India, the price they will pay will be much heavier,” he warned. Modi also criticized Pakistan’s military establishment, accusing it of turning terrorism into its core strategy. “Mass murder and terrorism are their expertise because they are repeatedly defeated in open warfare,” he said.

Referring to historical context, Modi recalled the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and the atrocities committed by the Pakistani Army in what was then East Pakistan. “Since its inception in 1947, Pakistan has only exported terror. The horrors of 1971 will never be forgotten,” he added.

The Prime Minister concluded with a firm message: “India has changed. We will not tolerate cowardly acts of terrorism. Operation Sindoor is our strong and clear response. Enemies of peace will face the consequences — wherever they hide.”

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh