Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a blistering attack on the Congress during his reply to the debate on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, accusing the party of decades-long inaction against terrorism due to its “appeasement politics” and vote-bank compulsions.

In a scathing speech, PM Modi said that before 2014, the country was gripped by fear, with frequent terror alerts and citizens left to fend for their own safety. “Back then, the government didn’t offer protection – it only issued warnings. People were told to be alert because bombs could go off anywhere. That was the reality of Congress rule,” PM Modi said.

He contrasted the current government’s approach with that of the previous regimes led by Congress, claiming that under BJP rule, India has demonstrated both the will and capability to strike back decisively at terrorism. “The question the nation is asking today is: if we can take firm action against terror, why didn’t Congress governments do it? What was stopping them?” PM Modi asked.

The Prime Minister accused the Congress of being soft on terror to appease its vote banks. He cited multiple instances to make his case:

Batla House encounter: “When terrorists were neutralised, a senior Congress leader was seen weeping. This wasn’t compassion for the victims – it was appeasement in its most shameful form.”

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Parliament attack (2001): “A Congress leader advocated giving terrorist Afzal Guru the benefit of doubt, even after such a brazen attack on India’s democracy.”

26/11 Mumbai Attacks

“Despite overwhelming global evidence linking the attackers to Pakistan, Congress tried to push the narrative of ‘saffron terror’. They were more interested in protecting their vote banks than defending the country.”

PM Modi also slammed the Congress for weakening anti-terror laws and blocking the full implementation of the Constitution in Jammu & Kashmir. “Why didn’t Article 370 go earlier? Because the Congress didn’t want to upset its appeasement strategy. Dr. Ambedkar’s Constitution was kept out of Kashmir by Congress itself.”

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He also referred to a reported incident where a Congress leader allegedly told a US diplomat that Hindu organisations were more dangerous than Lashkar-e-Taiba. “Imagine the mindset,” PM Modi said, “comparing patriots to terrorists – just for political gain.”

The Prime Minister’s speech, punctuated with pointed accusations and references to past terror attacks, underscored the BJP’s aggressive posture on national security and its effort to corner the Opposition – particularly the Congress – on issues of internal safety and patriotism.

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As the Lok Sabha sat in tense silence punctuated by sharp protests from Opposition benches, PM Modi concluded with a pointed message: “The country has changed. The politics of fear and appeasement will no longer be accepted. The era of turning a blind eye to terror is over.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)