New Delhi, May 22: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the Indian armed forces made Pakistan kneel during Operation Sindoor and that the world and enemies of the country have now seen what happens when “sindoor (vermilion) turns to gunpowder”, adding that garam sindoor runs through his veins now.

He said India’s response is a “new form of justice” and emphasised that there will be no trade or talks with Pakistan now. Significantly, the PM said that the recent developments have made three things clear: that there will be a befitting reply for each terror attack; that India will not be scared by threats of an atom bomb; and that India will view Pakistan’s “state and non-state actors” as one.

Addressing a rally in Bikaner, parts of which were attacked by Pakistan recently, the PM said: “This brave land of Rajasthan teaches us that there is nothing bigger than the country or its people. On April 22, terrorists asked the religion (before shooting Pahagam victims) and destroyed the sindoor of our sisters. Those bullets were fired in Pahalgam, but they pierced the chests of 140 crore people of the country. After that, every citizen of the country united and took a pledge that we will destroy the terrorists and give them a punishment beyond imagination.”

“Today, with your blessings and with the valour of the country’s armed forces, we have lived up to that promise. Our government gave a free hand to all three forces. And the three armies together created such a chakravyuh (web) that Pakistan was forced to kneel,” the PM said.

“Saathiyon, 22 tareek ke jawab mein, humne 22 minute mein aatankiyon ke 9 sabse bade thikane tabah kar diye. Duniya ne aur desh ke dushmano ne bhi dekh liya, ki jab sindoor baarood ban jata hai toh nateeja kya hota hai (Friends, in response to the attack on April 22, we destroyed the nine biggest terrorist hideouts in 22 minutes. The world and enemies of the country saw what happens when vermilion turns into gunpowder),” the PM said.

“Pakistan can never win a direct war with India. Whenever there is a direct war, Pakistan has to suffer a humiliating defeat. That is why Pakistan has made terrorism its weapon of war. Since Independence, this has been happening for several decades,” he said.

“Pakistan used to spread terror, kill innocent people, create an atmosphere of fear in India. But Pakistan forgot one thing. Ab, Ma Bharti ka sevak Modi yahan seena taan kar khada hai. Modi ka dimag thanda hai, thanda rehta hai, lekin Modi ka lahu garam hota hai. Aur ab toh Modi ki nason mein lahu nahi, garam sindoor beh raha hai (Now, Mother India’s servant Modi is standing here with his head held high. Modi’s mind is cool, it stays cool, but Modi’s blood runs hot. And now, not blood, but hot vermilion is flowing in Modi’s veins),” he said.

He said this is not a game of vengeance, but “a new form of justice”. “This is Operation Sindoor. This is not just aakrosh (outrage), ye samagra Bharat ka raudra roop hai, ye Bharat ka naya swaroop hai (This is the fierce form of the entire India, this is the new face of India).”

Referring to the 2019 Balakot strikes by India, he said, “Pehle ghar mein ghus kar kiya tha vaar, ab seedha seene par kiya prahaar hai. Aatank ka phan kuchalne ki yahi reeti hai yahi neeti hai, yehi Bharat hai, naya Bharat hai (First, we attacked them inside their homes, and now, we have directly attacked them on the chest. This is the way to crush terrorism; this is the policy. This is Bharat, this is the new Bharat).”

He said that Operation Sindoor settled three principles to tackle terrorism: “If there is a terrorist attack on Bharat, there will be a befitting reply. The time and method will be decided by our armed forces. And the shartein (terms and conditions) will be ours too.”

“Doosra, atom bomb ki geedad bhapkiyon se Bharat darne wala nahi hai (Second, Bharat will not be scared by the threats of an atom bomb),” he said.

Third, he said, India will not view “aatank ke aakaon aur aatank ki sarparast sarkar” (the masters of terror and the government that patronises terror) as separate entities. “They will be considered as one. Pakistan’s game of state and non-state actors will not work anymore.”

“Today, from the land of Rajasthan, I would like to humbly tell the people of my country, the Tiranga yatra which is taking place in every corner of the country, mein deshavaasiyon se kehta hoon, jo sindoor mitaane nikale the, unhe mitti mein milaya hai (I tell my countrymen that those who set out to wipe off the vermilion have been turned to dust),” the PM said.

“Those who used to bleed Hindustan have paid the price for every drop. Those who used to think that Bharat will stay quiet are now hiding inside their homes. Those who used to have ghamand (pride) on their weapons, today they are buried under a pile of rubble,” Modi said.

He said that India has made it clear that Pakistan will have to pay a heavy price for every terror attack. And this cost will be paid by the Pakistani army and its economy.”

The PM said he arrived at Bikaner via the Nal airport, which was targeted by Pakistan, “but they couldn’t cause even the slightest damage”. “But across the border, there is Pakistan’s Rahim Yar Khan airbase. We don’t know when it will reopen. It is in the ICU. Indian Army’s accurate attacks have destroyed this airbase,” he said.

The PM said that there will be no trade or talks with Pakistan. “If there’s talk, it will only be on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. And if Pakistan continues to export terrorists, then it will be deprived of every penny. Pakistan will not get water that is India’s right. Playing with the blood of Indians will prove costly to Pakistan. This is Bharat’s resolve, and no power in the world can sway us away from this resolve,” he said, adding that both security and prosperity are necessary for a viksit (developed) Bharat.

“This is possible only when each corner of Bharat is strong,” he said.

He said that it is a coincidence that five years ago, when India conducted airstrikes in Balakot, his first public rally was in Rajasthan too. He recalled his words in Churu – uttered in February 2019 – saying, “Saugandh mujhe is mitti ki, main desh nahi mitne dunga, main desh nahi jhukne dunga (I swear on this soil, I won’t let the nation fade or bow down).”

He added that seven Indian delegations comprising MPs from all parties are travelling the globe “to show the real face of Pakistan to the world”.-Agencies