Forces permitted to choose time and place for future action against terrorists: PM on Pulwama

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday asserted the security forces have been given permission to choose the timing, place and nature of their response to the Pulwama terror attack, which left 40 CRPF personnel dead on Thursday.

Without naming Pakistan, he told a public meeting that the attack was an outcome of the neighbouring country's desperation as it is in a bad shape and has been forced to go to different countries with a "begging bowl" to meet even its daily expenses.

The prime minister was in the Uttar Pradesh town to lay the foundation stone of a defence corridor in the Bundelkhand region.

Pakistan thinks that it can force India into a bad shape as well, he said, asserting that it has been left behind in development due to policies it has adopted while India has been progressing day and night due to the path it had chosen.

A day after Jammu and Kashmir saw one of the worst terrorist attacks in the state, Modi said every Indian is in anger and he wanted to assure the 130 crore people of India that the sacrifices of CRPF soldiers will "not go in vain".

"Security forces have been given permission to take decisions about the timing, place and nature of their response... This is an India of new convention and policy," he said, drawing big response from the crowd.

He also dwelt at length about the development measures his government has taken for the state.

Modi had cancelled his political events in the wake of the terror attack but continued with government programmes, which included inaugurated of several development projects here and launch of Vande Bharat train in New Delhi.