The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)

Final victory will be our Army’s: Shah

- LIZ MATHEW

BJP NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEET

BJP PRESIDENT Amit Shah Sunday warned that Pakistan and the terrorists it backs should not consider Uri as a closed chapter because “it is a long war and the fight is on.”

“Uri is a temporary statement and the final victory will be our Army’s,” Shah said.

He also clarified that the government was ready to talk to anyone who believes in the Indian Constituti­on. “I want to reiterate the pledge that Kashmir is an integral part of India and no one can take it away from us. The government is ready to talk to anyone. But (only) with those who consider themselves Indian and believe in the Indian Constituti­on,” he said.

A day after PM Narendra Modi said that sacrifices of Indian jawans in Uri will not be forgotten, the BJP’S National Council meeting endorsed a statement that tried to address party cadres agitated over the Uri attack.

The statement, read out by Shah and endorsed by the National Council without any deliberati­on, echoed the PM’S line and said the party would extend all support to the government in itswaragai­nstterrori­sm.“bjpfeels the widespread anger in the people against the conspirato­rs behind the Uri attack. BJP and the centralgov­ernmenthav­eadopted the policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism from the beginning. A strong reply to defeat such terror attempts will be given,” the statement said.

The statement added that 117 terrorists have been gunned down in the past eight months. “Terrorists have made 17 attempts to infiltrate... but our brave soldiers have foiled them. The Uri attack has been carried out due to this frustratio­n...this is a long war which has been forced on us by our neighbour. The battle may be a protracted one, but we shall fight to the finish. We are confident that our Army will have the final victory,” it said.

The statement urged all political parties to stand together with the government in the war against terrorism.

It also said that Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif’s speech at the UN General Assembly had “exposed” Pakistan’s open support to terrorists.

 ?? PTI ?? Modi at Sreekantes­wara Temple in Kozhikode on Sunday.
PTI Modi at Sreekantes­wara Temple in Kozhikode on Sunday.

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