With Modi, it's possible, says U'khand CM after air strike on Jaish camp

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat praised the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday following the Indian Air Force strike on the biggest Jaish terror camp inside Pakistan, saying "with Modi, it's possible".

Addressing an event here, Rawat said the Modi government has taken a "zero-tolerance" approach towards terrorism and the air strike was the "biggest attack on the root of terrorism".

"We congratulate the prime minister for a decisive leadership. With Modi, it's possible," he said in a statement released here.

"We also congratulate the Indian Air Force and its daredevil pilots for taking the challenge head-on and destroying terrorist camps inside Pakistan," he added.

The chief minister said the air strike about 80 km inside the Pakistani territory from the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir was an "appropriate lesson" to the country that provides refuge to terrorist groups.

"This is 'New India' under the secure leadership of Modi ji," Rawat asserted.

This was the first time since the 1971 war, that liberated Bangladesh, that Indian fighter jets crossed LoC and hit a terrorist camp inside Pakistan, killing hundreds of them, he said.

Citing "reliable sources", Rawat said the Jaish-e-Mohammed group was planning more attacks in India and was training a number of terrorists at the Balakot camp, which the Air Force destroyed in a 'preemptive" strike. The air strike was a necessary step, he stressed.

India has been providing proof about anti-India terrorist activities on its soil to Pakistan but it did not take action, he said.

This strike, the chief minister asserted, was completely a "non-military action" and attention was paid to ensure no civilian died in the operation.

For the BJP, nation comes before the party, he said.

"The security of this country is the topmost priority for us," he said.

Officials said the Indian Air Force bombed and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp inside Pakistan, killing over 350 terrorists, trainers and senior commanders.

The swift and precise "preemptive" air strike was conducted early Tuesday, they said.