Took decision for Balakot as 'game' should be played from where terror being controlled: PM Modi

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian Air Force fighter jets bombed terror group JeM's training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PTI Photo: File

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian Air Force fighter jets bombed terror group JeM's training camp near Balakot deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations the next day. However, the IAF thwarted their plans.

The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in J&K's Pulwama in which 40 soldiers were killed.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he took the decision for the Indian Air Force to conduct Balakot air strikes as he thought that "the game" should be played from where terrorism is being remote-controlled. Modi said this in reply to a question on Balakot strikes during BJP's 'Main bhi Chowkidar' event. "We have been suffering from terrorism for the past 40 years. We know who is responsible for it. I thought, till when will this go on? Then, I decided that the game should be played from where terrorism is being controlled," he said. The prime minister said Pakistan is in a fix because if it acknowledges the air strikes, it will have to accept that there was terror camp there. "They have been saying that there are no terror camps. Now they have to hide it. They are not allowing anybody to go there. We've been told Balakot area is being reconstructed by Pakistan to show that a school is being run there, so that people can be taken there and shown that no terror camp existed there," he said. Those abusing Modi on Balakot air strikes are helping Pakistan with their statements, he said. "I did not do Balakote. Our jawans did it. I have complete trust in our forces and that is why I gave our forces a free hand to act. I decided, that the battleground will be theirs, the fight on terrorism will be taken to where it started," Modi said. He said Pakistan has started opening its airspace after air strikes, believing I am is busy with elections. "But country more important for me," he said. "Elections aren't a priority for me, the country is. The sad part is that the people who are against Modi are supporting the Pakistan narrative in their effort to speak against me." The event was beamed across the country at 500 places where gatherings of BJP workers, professionals, chowkidars (Watchmen), traders, farmers among others will listen to Modi and interact with him through video-conferencing. (With inputs from PTI)

Published at : 31 Mar 2019 07:34 PM (IST)

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