‘Have We Kept Our Nuclear Button for Diwali?’ Says PM Modi

He also said “Warned Pakistan that if anything happened to our pilot, you’ll keep telling the world what Modi did.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

(Photo: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 21 April, while talking about India-Pakistan relations said, “Is our nuclear button kept for Diwali?” while addressing a public rally in Rajasthan’s Barmer.

<i>“Bharat ne Pakistan ki dhamki se darne ki neeti ko choddh dia, ye theek kia na maine? Warna aaye dine ‘humare paas nuclear button hai, nuclear button hai,’ yahi kehte the, humare akhbar wale bhi likhte the, ‘Pakistan k paas bhi nuclear hai,’ toh humare paas kya hai, ye diwali k lie rakha hai kya?”</i> (India has stopped getting scared of Pakistan’s threats, I have done correct, no? Else every other day they used to say “we have nuclear button,” our newspapers would also say the same, then what do we have? Have we kept it (nuclear button) for Diwali?)

Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India

While speaking at Chittorgarh, he had said “Do you want to see an India that gives an answer to Pakistan or one that bows down to them? An India that gives a strong reply to terrorists or an India that stays mum after terrorist attacks? A Congress that weakens the country or a BJP that strengthens it?”

‘Warned Pak of Consequences If They Didn’t Return Abhinandan’

Earlier while speaking at Patan in Gujarat he had said that he warned Pakistan of consequences if it did not return Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman.

He asserted his government's commitment towards national security and said whether the prime minister's chair remains or not, he has decided that either he will be alive or the terrorists.

Following the air strike at Balakot terror camp in Pakistan, there was a dogfight between Indian and Pakistani fighter planes on 27 February in which the IAF wing commander was captured by the neighbouring country and released on the night of 1 March.

He said after Abhinandan was caught, Opposition started seeking a reply from him. “We held a press conference and warned Pakistan that if anything happened to our pilot, you will keep telling the world what Modi did to you.”

"A senior American official said on the second day that Modi has kept 12 missiles ready and might attack and the situation will deteriorate. Pakistan announced return of the pilot, or else it was going to be a qatal ki raat (night of murder)," he said.

“This was said by America, I have nothing to say about this now, I will speak about it when the time will come,” he said.

Modi urged the people of Gujarat to help the BJP win all 26 Lok Sabha seats in his home state, where polling will be held on Tuesday, and said if it does not happen, then there will be discussions on TV over it on the day of vote counting.

"The (PM's) chair remains or goes, I have decided that either I will be alive or terrorists will remain alive," he said.

Modi Takes a Dig at Pawar

He also took a jibe at NCP leader Sharad Pawar, saying if he is unaware of his next move, then how can Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan gauge what he will do.

"Sharad Pawar says I don't know what will Modi do. If he is unaware of what Modi will do tomorrow, how will Imran Khan know?" he said.

(With inputs from PTI)