Mumbai: In an exclusive interview with Free Press Journal's Executive Editor, Afrida Rahman Ali, Bhartiya Janata Party's national spokesperson Tuhin Sinha, spoke about the Pahalgam terror attack and the stringent actions taken by the Modi government in the aftermath of the cowardly carnage.
Speaking on Prime Minister Modi's strong statement on Pahalgam attack he said, "The Prime Minister's message is loud and clear. Unfortunately, terror has become an inalienable facet of Pakistan's existence. But with this particular attack, they've crossed a dangerous red line. Never before have tourists been attacked on such a scale, nor has this kind of religiously motivated butchery happened."
"Our retaliation will be unprecedented — something unimaginable at this point. In the past, this government gave Pakistan a long rope for about 1.5 years post-2014, inviting Nawaz Sharif for the swearing-in. But when we realized Pakistan was incorrigible, we retaliated with surgical strikes and Balakot."
"After six years of relative calm, Pakistan has resorted to this desperate act. This time, we will strike at the core existence of Pakistan — not just for India, but as the world increasingly recognizes the threat it poses," he added.
Replying to a question on are measures like suspending the Indus Water Treaty and stopping visas to Pakistan are enough to satisfy the public's outrage, Sinha said, "Absolutely, no sane government would disclose military retaliation details beforehand. But hitting at the Indus Water Treaty strikes at Pakistan’s core existence. It may not have an immediate effect, but over time, it will cripple an already impoverished nation that's essentially a Chinese colony."
He further said, "We’re also looking closely at Balochistan — a fragile, rebellious region. It’s only a matter of time before it breaks away from Pakistan. Military retaliation is due, but timing and method are not for public disclosure."
"In the last 11 years, we’ve isolated Pakistan diplomatically too. Once close allies like Saudi Arabia have distanced themselves. In 2018, we ensured they were sanctioned by FATF. While these steps have hurt Pakistan, they haven’t entirely deterred them — largely because of extremist generals like Asim Munir. Unless such figures are treated like global terrorists, Pakistan won’t have a future," he added.
On Pakistani army not following international norms, he said, "Let me be clear — this government isn’t obliged to strictly follow the old rule book. If we were, we wouldn’t have touched the Indus Water Treaty. Previous governments could have done this in 1965, 1971, during Kargil, or after various terror attacks between 2005–2008."
Speaking on the stance of the government, he said, "Our position is simple — a terror nation has no right to exist. We will incapacitate Pakistan and make sure it’s not in a position to carry out similar attacks in future."
On a question that an alliance with Mehbooba Mufti, demoralized the army and hampered counterterror operations, he said, "I can understand Omar Abdullah making that claim, but the truth is the army has enjoyed more operational autonomy under our government than ever before."
Accepting that the alliance with the PDP was not ideal he said, "Yes, in hindsight, the alliance with Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP wasn’t ideal. But it gave us crucial intelligence access within Kashmir, which contributed to the decision to abrogate Article 370. When we realized the PDP’s obsession with Pakistan wouldn’t change, we withdrew."
Responding to a question on security lapse, he said, "Yes — any terror attack implies a security lapse. We must take responsibility. The question now is how we respond. Our response will be of a magnitude far beyond the provocation, and it will be noticed worldwide."
He further said, "The international community, from the US and Europe to Japan and Australia, stands with us. It’s a favorable time to deal a decisive blow to Pakistan."
Watch the full interview:
