End certain for those daring to wipe off sindoor of our sisters, says PM; slams 'hate-filled' Pak

Dahod (Guj), May 26, (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Pakistan's only aim is to hate India and think of ways to harm it, while our nation has set goals of removing poverty and bringing about economic development.

Addressing a rally in Dahod in Gujarat, the PM hailed Operation Sindoor and said it was not merely military action, but an "expression of India's ethos and feelings".

Twenty-six men were gunned by terrorists in Pahalgam in Kashmir on April 22, following which India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, resulting in massive damage to terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

"How can India and Modi sit quiet after such a terrorist attack? Anyone who dares to erase the sindoor from the foreheads of our sisters (sindoor is a sign of marriage and its wiping off signifies widowhood) will surely be eliminated," he said to the huge cheering crowd.

Terrorists may not have imagined in their wildest dreams how difficult it would be to fight against Modi, the PM said.

He said the action was part of the responsibility citizens of the nation gave him when they made him 'pradhan sevak" on May 26, 2014.

Modi gave a free hand to the three wings of the country's armed forces and its warriors did what the world had not seen for the last several decades, Modi asserted.

Tearing into Pakistan, the prime minister said, "The country that came into existence after Partition lives on hatred for India. It only wants to harm Bharat. However, India's goals are to remove poverty, bring about economic development and become a developed nation." "Our government's policy is to take development to areas that have remained backward," he added.

He also urged people to buy and use products made in India during festivals like Holi, Diwali and Ganesh Puja.

"Don't you think we have to stop using imported products? During our festivals, we use imported items like firecrackers and Ganesha idols (which is not good). To ensure our country's progress, everyone should take a resolve to purchase only Made in India products" said Modi.

"Everything we need for our country's progress must be made right here in India," the PM told the gathering.

He was speaking at a rally after launching development projects costing Rs 24,000 crore, including a locomotive manufacturing plant, here.

The PM unveiled the country's first 9,000 horsepower locomotive engine as well as a rolling stock workshop built at a cost of Rs 21,405 crore.

He flagged off the Ahmedabad-Veraval Vande Bharat service and Valsad-Dahod express train and told the gathering that state-of-the-art Vande Bharat trains were now operational on 70 routes across the country.

"There was a time when India had to import locomotives and coaches. Today, we manufacture them in India and export them to other countries," the PM said.

The Vande Bharat service launched during the day between Sabarmati station in Ahmedabad and Veraval station will be a boon for devotees visiting the renowned Somnath Temple in Gir Somnath district.

He also announced that 100 per cent electrification of railway lines has been achieved in Gujarat. PTI PJT PD VT BNM