Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday criticized Pakistan over the Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 innocent civilians were killed, labeling the assault as one against ‘humanity and Kashmiriyat.’ 

Addressing a public rally in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, Prime Minister Modi accused Pakistan of attempting to instigate riots in India and disrupt the livelihoods of the hard-working people of Kashmir through the terror attack. 

“Unfortunately, our neighboring country is against humanity and even the livelihood of the poor. What happened in Pahalgam on 22 April is an example of this. Pakistan attacked both ‘insaniyat and Kashmiriyat’ in Pahalgam. Its purpose was to cause riots in India and obstruct the earnings of the hard-working people of Kashmir. That is why Pakistan attacked the tourists in Kashmir. Pakistan targeted the tourism that earns the families of Kashmir a livelihood,” ANI quoted PM Modi as saying. 

Prime Minister Modi assured that terror attacks like the one in Pahalgam will not disrupt ongoing development efforts in Jammu and Kashmir. He added that anyone attempting to hinder the youth of the valley from realizing their dreams would have to face him first. 

“Jammu and Kashmir’s development will not be shaken by the Pahalgam attack. This is Narendra Modi’s promise. If anyone stop the youth here from fulfilling their dream, ‘to us baadha ko pehle Modi ka saamna karna padega,” he said.

Expressing sorrow over the plight of more than 2000 families affected by shelling during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, Prime Minister Modi announced that the central government will provide Rs 2 lakh to those whose homes have suffered extensive damage and Rs 1 lakh to those whose homes have sustained partial damage. 

“The suffering of more than 2000 families affected by shelling is also our own suffering. Now, those houses which have suffered a lot of damage will be given Rs 2 lakh, and those houses which have been partially damaged will be given Rs 1 lakh more separately. Two border battalions have been formed for the Jammu and Kashmir division, and the work of forming two women battalions has also been completed. New infrastructure worth hundreds of crores is being built in the conflict areas near our international border. The government is going to spend more than Rs 4200 crores in this,” PM Modi said. 

On April 22, terrorists killed 26 civilians, including one Nepali national, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.

In retaliation, the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), resulting in the deaths of over 100 notorious terrorists.