Uri attackers won’t go unpunished: Modi

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 25 

The most recent militant strike in north Kashmir’s Uri became the focus of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio programme ‘Mann ki Baat’ on Sunday. A day after his diatribe against Pakistan for “exporting terrorism” at the BJP’s National Council Meeting in Kerala’s Kozhikode, Modi reiterated that the perpetrators of the Uri attack would not go unpunished.

As calls for action against India’s neighbour rose, Modi on Sunday called the attack an act of cowardice.

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"Recently, 18 bravehearts laid down their lives in Uri. Such a cowardly attack was enough to stir the nation. I am sure that our soldiers would keep foiling such acts in the future," Modi said in his monthly radio address. "While politicians speak, military shows bravery. "

He mentioned young Harshvardhan, who wrote to him after the attacks saying he was troubled.

Some gunmen attacked a military camp in Uri last Sunday, killing 18 soldiers. India blames the Jaish-e-Mohammed, an outlawed terrorist organisation based in Pakistan, for the attack.

'Kashmiris want normality restored' 

He spoke about the recent unrest in Kashmir in which nearly 80 people were killed and thousands injured, but claimed people wanted the state to return to normal.

Read: Mann ki Baat on, to Pak

"Farmers who had grown fruits were also worried to get their crops to the market," he said, adding that the state administration had taken measures to maintain law and order, but that local authorities should remain to stay cautious and exercise restraint.

"They want their life to get back on track. All of us know that peace and unity is the only solution to our problems."

 "Our resources are there to give a peaceful life to the Kashmiri people," he said. "Peace, unity and goodwill are the keys to our problems and path to progress."

‘Proud of Paralympians’

He made a special mention of India’s paralympic contingent, which brought back two golds, a silver and a bronze in the recently concluded Paralympic Games in Rio. 

“Paralympians have made India proud,” he said, as he praised “their spirit and courage”.

“I came to know that some of these paralympians equaled and sometimes broke the records held by normal athletes. I want to tell the country through the 'Mann ki Baat' that my government will empower these paralympians.”    

Clean India   

As the NDA government’s 'Swachh Bharat' mission completes two years, Modi announced a new helpline number’1969’ for feedback and to petition for starting new projects.

Modi said 2.48 crore toilets have been built in the rural areas while 1.5 crore will be built in the next year. — (With inputs from agencies)