Army to decide time, place of response: PM Modi on Pulwama attacks

JHANSI/NEW DELHI: The possibility of a military strike against Pakistan appeared to loom large on Friday after the Modi government directed the armed forces to start preparing to avenge the killing of 40 CRPF personnel by ISI-controlled terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Muhammed.
The political clearance for a military response was given by the PM-led Cabinet committee on security against the backdrop of mounting anger and horror over the biggest-ever terror attack on security forces in J&K and a growing clamour for retaliation against Pakistan, which has been held responsible by the government for the atrocity.
Sources said the CCS meeting factored in the possibility of an armed confrontation with a bellicose neighbour, but resolved not to be deterred by the risk of escalation. "They are going to get a nasty surprise yet again," said a senior government source familiar with the deliberations which were attended by home minister Rajnath Singh, foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, finance minister Arun Jaitley, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, NSA Ajit Doval and Army chief General Bipin Rawat among others.
Sources also indicated India's response will focus, just like the surgical strikes launched in the aftermath of the attack on the Army camp at Uri, on terror infrastructure inside Pakistan. "Let them try to thwart us," one of the participants said. The stand was articulated by Modi who, while addressing a public meeting in Jhansi in UP, said, "Our brave jawans have sacrificed their lives in the service of the nation. Their sacrifice will not go in vain. I am giving this assurance to 130 crore Indians from the land of Jhansi, the land of the brave," he said.
"The next steps will be taken by our armed forces. What should be the time, what should be the place and what should be the form, they have been authorised to take all these decisions," he added.

The PM had promised retaliation earlier in the day as well while speaking at the inaugural run of the high-speed Vande Bharat train in Delhi immediately after the CCS meeting. "I want to tell the terror outfits and those aiding and abetting them that they have made a big mistake. They will have to pay a very heavy price for their actions," he said.
Significantly, Modi's strongly worded remarks came hours after Islamabad, predictably, washed its hands of the killings owned up by Jaish, which has lately been ISI's preferred tool to torment India.
In a statement on Thursday, Pakistan termed the attack a "matter of grave concern", claimed it has "always condemned acts of violence anywhere in the world" but trivialised its well-established parentage of Jaish as an "insinuation". “We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations,” it said.
The protestation of innocence failed to wash with India, with the MEA’s spokesperson pointing out that JeM has claimed responsibility for the attack and Pakistan cannot claim that it is unaware of their presence and their activities. “The demand for an investigation is preposterous when there is a video of the suicide bomber declaring himself a JeM member,” the spokesman said. In Jhansi, Modi vowed retribution. “The guilty of Pulwamawill be punished for what they have done. Our neighburing nation is forgetting that this is an India of new ‘neeti and reeti (resolve and ways)’,” he said.
“130 crore Indians will give Pakistan a fitting reply. Big nations of the world are standing with India. The message I am receiving shows this. Those sitting in Pakistan should clearly understand, the path you have adopted you have seen your ruin. On the other hand, the path we have adopted is seeing us progress in leaps and bounds,” Modi said. Public anger seems to be driving the government’s response and Modi sought to address that with his “rally-around-the-flag” theme both in New Delhi and Jhansi. “I know there is deep anger, your blood boils looking at what has happened. At this moment, there are expectations of a strong response, which is quite natural,” he said.
“However, let me tell you, the nation will counter such attacks. India will not be intimidated. We should speak in one voice and rise above politics. The message which should go across the world is that we are one nation, one voice in our fight against terror,” the PM said.
As it prepared for a military retaliation, the support from the international community was encouraging its plan to punish Pakistan. The expression of strong support by the US was particularly reassuring for the government. Diplomatic missions scrambled for what seemed to be an effort to prepare the international community for imminent military action against terror bases in Pakistan. The Pulwama attack is a challenge to Modi’s “tough-on-terror” credentials which were burnished by the surgical strikes. He appeared to be mindful of it when he told his Jhansi audience, “I am someone who fulfils his pledges.”
He further said Pakistan’s use of terror would not succeed. “Our neighbour is going through a bad phase. It is isolated.”