India won't forget Uri attack

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday launched a blistering attack on Pakistan in his first public address after the Uri terror attack.

He was speaking at a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Kozhikode, where he'd attended the party's National Council meet.

Modi said Pakistan - which is widely seen as being the source of the deadly attack which claimed the lives of 18 jawans last week - "wanted bloodshed, killing of people and terror."

In his speech, the PM also addressed the Pakistani people directly - saying that while both India and Pakistan attained Independence at the same time, India exported software, but Pakistan exported terror.

After saying the whole nation was "very proud" of the Indian armed forces, the PM issued a grim warning to the masterminds of the attack, and others who may be planning more attacks: "The sacrifice of our 18 jawans will not go in vain. We will leave no stone unturned to isolate Pakistan in the world," he said.

He said Indian army has foiled 17 infiltration bids from Pakistan in the last few months and killed more than 110 terrorists.

He then issued his stirring challenge to Pakistanis, asking them if they could find solutions to development issues faster than India could. "I want to tell the people of Pakistan, India is ready to fight you. If you have the strength, come forward to fight against poverty. Lets see who wins. Let's see who is able to defeat poverty and illiteracy first, Pakistan or India," he said.

And he told Pakistan to look in its own backyard before coveting the territory of others. "Pakistan is aiming for Kashmir. They should first look at the land they have already captured ie PoK, Gilgit and Balochistan. Ask them (to Pak people): you can't handle Gilgit, PoK, Balochistan which is with you, then why mislead people by talking about Kashmir?"

And he made this remarkable claim: "A day will come when the people of Pakistan will go against their own government to fight terrorism," adding that India would never bow down before terrorism.

Earlier yesterday, the PM met with the Indian Army, Air Force Chiefs of Staff and Naval Vice Admiral to discuss the prevailing security conditions and response to the attack.

Immediately after the Uri attack, Modi had vowed in a strongly worded tweet that he will not let the perpetrators go "unpunished".