PM vows to hunt down those behind terror attacks in India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said he believed in "barging into the houses of terrorists and killing them" as he vowed to find out those responsible for terror attacks in India "even if they hide in bowels of the earth".

Modi's comments indicated that last week's air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp in Pakistan won't be India's last such action against terrorism emanating from the neighbouring country.

He targeted the opposition for playing "vote-bank politics" and not taking steps to curb terrorism that has been hurting India for 40 years when they were in power.

"They (the opposition) say it is a game of election. Where was election when we carried out surgical strikes for the first time (in September 2016)? 'Ye hamara siddhant hai, ki ghar mein ghus kar maarenge' (it is our principle that we will kill them by barging into their house)," he asserted.

"I am not going to spare them even if they hide in the bowels of the earth (saatve pataal)," he said in his address, seen as a fresh warning to Pakistan.

Recalling the bomb blasts carried out at the civil hospital premises here in July 2008 and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Modi said the then government at the Centre should have taken revenge and taught Pakistan a lesson.

"Terrorism came from across the border. Was it not the responsibility of people at the Centre to take revenge?" he asked, referring to the bomb blasts at the civil hospital and other places in Ahmedabad.

"If the government then had courage, it could have avenged the deaths of innocent people at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Innocent people were killed in 26/11 in Mumbai. And we came back to normal after a few days," he said, addressing a gathering here.

Modi asked the opposition not to politicise the issue of strike carried out on terrorist camps in Pakistan by the Indian Air Force, and asked them whether or not they trust the country's armed forces and what they say.

"No country can stay in such helpless condition. For 40 years, terrorism has been hurting India, the hearts of Bharat Ma, innocent people are being killed. But people playing vote-bank politics are scared to take steps," he said.

"I do not care about the chair (of Prime Minister). I care about our country. I have protected the country's people," he added.

The PM asked opposition leaders to desist from giving statements that hog limelight in the Pakistani media.

"What our opposition leaders say becomes the headlines of Pakistan newspapers. Such leaders say things which are shown on Pakistan TV, are discussed in Pakistan parliament."
"Do you trust our country's armed forces? Should we not trust what the military says? But there are some people who do not like what the military says."