Alipurduar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s unwavering resolve against terrorism on Thursday, declaring that ‘Operation Sindoor’ is far from over. Speaking at his first rally in West Bengal since the launch of the operation earlier this month, Modi emphasized that India has already struck Pakistan “three times inside its home” and will continue to impose a heavy price on those who sponsor terrorism.
Drawing a powerful connection to Bengal’s rich cultural heritage, Modi invoked the symbolism of ‘sindoor’—a traditional vermilion powder used by Bengali women during the ‘Sindoor Khela’ ritual in Durga Puja—to underscore the emotional gravity of India’s fight against terror.
“Now that I am standing on the sacred land of ‘Sindoor Khela’, it is only right that we speak about a new resolve against terrorism: ‘Operation Sindoor’,” Modi declared to enthusiastic applause.
Reflecting on the recent terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, the Prime Minister acknowledged the deep pain and anger felt across West Bengal and the entire nation. “The terrorists dared to wipe off ‘sindoor’ from the foreheads of our sisters. But our brave soldiers made them realise the power of that sindoor,” he said. He reaffirmed India’s commitment: “From this land of Bengal, I, on behalf of 140 crore Indians, declare that ‘Operation Sindoor’ is not over yet.”
Launched on May 7, ‘Operation Sindoor’ is India’s forceful response to the Pahalgam attack, involving precision strikes on terror infrastructure inside Pakistan. Modi stressed India’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism and sent a clear message to Islamabad.
“After the Pahalgam attack, India has told the world that if there is a terrorist attack on India, the enemy will have to pay a heavy price for it. Pakistan should understand that we have entered your house and killed you three times,” he asserted.
Though Modi did not explicitly list the three strikes, analysts widely interpret this as referencing the 2016 surgical strikes following the Uri attack, the 2019 Balakot air strikes after the Pulwama bombing, and the recent cross-border strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’. “We destroyed cross-border terror infrastructure, which Pakistan had never thought of. We have hit Pakistan thrice inside their homes,” Modi said.
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Directly criticizing Pakistan’s military establishment, Modi accused it of institutionalizing terrorism. “Terrorism and mass murder are the biggest expertise of the Pakistani army, because whenever there is an open war, they face defeat,” he said.
The Prime Minister also recalled the historical wounds inflicted by Pakistan, linking its legacy of terror to the atrocities committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. “Ever since it came into existence, Pakistan has only nurtured terror. Pakistan, the country that nurtured terrorism since its inception, has been a breeding ground for terror and violence. It has carried out terrorist attacks on India ever since Partition in 1947. The terror it spread in our neighbourhood — present-day Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) — is also unforgettable,” Modi stated.
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“No one can forget the way the Pakistan Army committed rapes and murders in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) and the terror it had unleashed there,” he added.
Concluding his address with a resolute warning, Modi emphasized India’s relentless pursuit of terrorists and its commitment to peace through strength. “Pakistan has nothing positive to offer to the world. Since its very inception, it has been a breeding ground for terror and violence. But India has changed. We no longer tolerate such cowardly acts. And Operation Sindoor is our firm answer,” he declared.
