For 75 years, India tolerated proxy wars but not any more: PM Modi

As part of his two-day visit to Gujarat, which comes as his first after Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a mega roadshow in Gandhinagar, where he was greeted with flower petals by enthusiastic supporters. Union Minister CR Patil and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel accompanied him during the vibrant display of public support. PM Modi later attended the celebrations marking 20 years of Gujarat’s Urban Growth Story in Gandhinagar.PM Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for urban development projects worth Rs 5,536 crore, spanning housing, healthcare, infrastructure, and urban planning. These initiatives, he said, are aimed at building a stronger and more sustainable urban future for Gujarat.  Speaking at the Mahatma Mandir convention centre, PM Modi highlighted the transformative journey that began in 2005 under his leadership as then Chief Minister. He asserted that India would no longer remain silent in the face of terrorism, ending what he described as 75 years of tolerating proxy wars. His strong remarks — widely viewed as a direct reference to Pakistan.
In a more impassioned segment of his address, PM Modi invoked the events of 1947 and the unresolved Kashmir conflict, saying,“When Maa Bharati was divided, the first terror attack began that very night in Kashmir. Under the guise of terrorism, a part of our land — Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — was taken from us. Sardar Patel had urged that the army should not stop until PoK was taken back, but no one listened.” He took a firm stance on previous governments for failing to respond decisively to terrorism, adding: “For 75 years, we tolerated proxy wars. Pilgrims, civilians, tourists — they were all targeted. Tell me, should we keep tolerating this? We must respond to bullets with bombs.”Yet, the Prime Minister also reinforced India’s commitment to peace and global harmony, invoking the ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family. “We want peace with our neighbours, but if provoked, we will remind the world that this is also the land of warriors,” he declared.

#WATCH | Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says "I say this can no longer be called a proxy war because the terrorists whose funerals were held after May 6 were given state honours in Pakistan. Pakistan’s flags were placed on their coffins, and their army saluted them. It… pic.twitter.com/AIaejeWDMR

— ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2025

Modi said,"We must encourage village traders to pledge that no matter how much profit they make, they will not sell foreign goods. But unfortunately, even Ganesh idols come from abroad, small-eyed Ganesh idols whose eyes don't even open properly... For Operation Sindoor, as a citizen, I have a task for you: go home and make a list of how many foreign products you use in 24 hours."
As part of the development push, PM Modi virtually laid the foundation stone for a 1,800-bed hospital at the Ahmedabad Civil Medical campus. The Rs 588 crore facility will bolster public healthcare infrastructure and meet the growing needs of the region.He also inaugurated healthcare projects worth Rs 672 crore, including a satellite centre of the U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre in Gandhinagar. The Rs 84 crore facility is expected to provide advanced cardiac and neuro care to patients across North Gujarat and surrounding districts.

(State Correspondent)