As Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed that perpetrators of the Uri terror attack “will not go unpunished”, demand for action intensified against Pakistan on Sunday. While President Pranab Mukherjee said India would thwart the “evil designs” of terrorists and their backers, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said Pakistan should be isolated as “terrorist” state. Going a step further, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav suggested “for one tooth, the complete jaw” should be the policy after the Uri terror attack.
In a sharp reaction, the PM tweeted, “We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Uri. I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished.” He saluted the soldiers who were martyred in the attack and said their service to the nation will always be remembered.
“It is a disturbing moment and a moment of introspection. I shudder to think, how the nation can ever and ever repay for such supreme and ultimate sacrifices of our precious Jawans,” said MoS in Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh.
While BJP president Amit Shah maintained that the India’s war against terrorism which is promoted by Pakistan was “in a decisive phase” and the Central Government was “moving in a right direction, his party colleague talked tough asserting that days of strategic restraint were over and suggested that “for one tooth, the complete jaw” should be the policy after the Uri terror attack.
“The Prime Minister has promised that those behind the Uri terror attack will not go unpunished. That should be the way forward. For one tooth, the complete jaw,” said Ram Madhav, BJP’s general Secretary and point man for Jammu & Kashmir.
“The days of so-called strategic restraint are over. If terrorism is the instrument of the weak and coward, restraint in the face of repeated terror attacks betrays inefficiency and incompetence. India should prove otherwise,” he said.
RSS second-in-command Bhaiyyaji Joshi said, “The terrorists, their masters and supporters should be dealt with firmly and conclusively.”
Congress president Sonia Gandhi termed the terrorist strike as a “deplorable affront” on national conscience and hoped that the perpetrators of the attack will be severely dealt with and brought to book. “Congress president Sonia Gandhi has expressed shock and deep distress over the martyrdom of Indian soldiers in the dastardly terrorist attack in Uri,” the party said in a statement.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi too condemned the attack. “Strongly condemn the militant attack on Army base in Uri. My heartfelt condolences to the families of the bravehearts martyred in the attack,” he said in a tweet.
Blaming “security lapse” for the Uri terror attack, former Defence Minister AK Antony said that the Government has not learnt any lesson from the Pathankot strike in January. “It is a serious security lapse. The Central Government has not learnt any lesson from the Pathankot attack,” the Congress leader said and suggested that the Army should be given more freedom to carry out tactical operations.
“In recent months violence in Kashmir with the help of the Pakistan Army is increasing,” Antony said.
Another Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram asked the Government to mobilise security forces to prevent infiltration of terrorists from across the border in the wake of terror attack in Uri.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar strongly condemned the terror attack and hailed the valour and dedication of the soldiers towards to the nation.
BJP’s ally Shiv Sena warned the BJP-led Central Government that it would have to face the anger of the people if it did not take urgent steps against Pakistan for stopping terror attacks. “There is no need to talk now. It is time for urgent and rigid action against Pakistan. If these attacks do not stop now, people will turn against the government,” said Sena MP Sanjay Raut.
The United States also denounced the terror attack as US Ambassador to India Richard Verma tweeted, “We strongly condemn the terror attack in Uri, J&K. Our thoughts are with the families of the brave soldiers who lost their lives #UriAttack.”