BHOPAL, Sept. 17 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at Pakistan, declaring that the new India is not scared of nuclear threats and has the resolve to strike inside enemy territory.
Addressing a rally in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh on his 75th birthday, PM Modi said India's soldiers brought Pakistan to its knees "in the blink of an eye." He hailed Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror launch pads in Pakistan.
"Just yesterday, the nation and the world witnessed a Pakistani terrorist tearfully recounting his ordeal. This is the new India, and it does not fear nuclear threats. The new India kills inside the home," the Prime Minister said.
"Terrorists from Pakistan had destroyed the sindoor on our sisters, but we destroyed their hideouts through Operation Sindoor," he added.
The Prime Minister urged 140 crore citizens to buy only made-in-India products and appealed to traders to promote Swadeshi goods. "This is the season of festivals, and we must adopt the mantra of Swadeshi in our daily lives," he said.
Modi also paid tribute on the occasion of Hyderabad Liberation Day, recalling the iron will of Sardar Patel whose leadership led the nation's forces to liberate Hyderabad. He emphasised the event's significance in strengthening national unity and said such sacrifices would continue to inspire citizens to dedicate themselves to the country.
Earlier, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the country's first and largest PM MITRA (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) Park in Bhainsola village, describing it as a transformative project that will boost Madhya Pradesh's growth and India's textile industry.
The park, part of seven such mega projects across the country, aims to turn India into a global textile hub. Modi noted that 80 per cent of the land has already been allotted to investors, and the facility will generate over three lakh jobs, support cotton farmers, and expand the value chain from "farm to fibre, fibre to factory, factory to fashion, and fashion to foreign."
He also launched the nationwide 'Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar' campaign, the eighth National Nutrition Month, the 'Aadi Seva Parv' for tribal welfare, and introduced the 'Suman Sakhi Chatbot'.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, benefits worth over Rs 450 crore were transferred in a single click to 15 lakh women beneficiaries. The Prime Minister also handed over the one-croreth sickle cell anaemia screening card, marking a milestone under the National Mission to eliminate the disease.
Highlighting his government's welfare record, Modi said 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty in the last 11 years. He stressed that the four pillars of a developed India-poor, farmers, women and youth-are being empowered through initiatives such as PM Vishwakarma, Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala, free ration distribution, and women-oriented livelihood programmes.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav hailed the launch as historic, saying the PM MITRA Park will establish Madhya Pradesh as a global textile hub. He also extended birthday greetings to the Prime Minister, whose 75th birthday was celebrated in the tribal heartland.
Governor Mangubhai Patel, Union Minister Savitri Thakur, Deputy Chief Ministers Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla, senior Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and other BJP leaders were present.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.