New Delhi On his return to India after a week-long visit to the US, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the cross-border surgical strikes of 2016 and hailed the special forces who carried out the highly risky operation on this day three years back targeting terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Recalling the operation assumes significance as the comments come amidst war hysteria created by Pakistan with its attempts to push in terrorists to carry out attacks in the Indian territory.
The Indian forces had carried out the surgical strikes on terror camps inside PoK in September 2016 in retaliation to a terror attack on an Army camp in Uri on September 18 in which 18 soldiers lost their lives.
“Today is September 28. Three years ago, on this day, I could not sleep the whole night as I was waiting for a call. It was on this day that the Indian soldiers carried out the surgical strikes. They showed exemplary bravery while risking their lives,” Modi said.
He made the comments in a brief speech which he delivered to a large group of supporters who had gathered at the Palam technical airport to receive him on his return from the US where he attended the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly besides taking part in a host of other events.
Talking about his trip, the Prime Minister said the stature of India has grown manifold because “130 crore Indians have elected a stable and strong government”.
Modi said during his US trip, he noticed how the world view had changed vis-a-vis India from 2014 to 2019.
“The prestige of the country has increased on foreign soil,” he said.
Mentioning the “Howdy, Modi!” event in Houston on September 22, he pointed out that the stage was shared by US President Donald Trump and representatives from both the major parties of that country. The event showed India’s power, Modi said.
The Prime Minister said he felt the magnitude of the programme when he later went to the UN where every conversation started with ‘Howdy, Modi!’
He also thanked the 130 crore Indians as well as the Indian diaspora in the US.
