'Our fight is against terrorism and not Kashmiris': Narendra Modi says at rally in Rajasthan's Tonk

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a rally in Rajasthan’s Tonk district, raised the issue of the ongoing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, and said Indians should focus their anger on terrorism instead of Kashmiris. “Our fight is against terrorism and those who are against humanity. Our fight is for Kashmir, not against Kashmir and Kashmiris,” he said. He added that his aim is not to bring up specific instances of intentional harm to Kashmiris, but is to note that “such things should not happen in this country.”

#WATCH PM Modi in Tonk, Rajasthan says "Pichhle dino kahan kya hua, ghatna chhoti thi ki badi thi, Kashmiri baccho ke saath Hindustan ke kisi kone mein kya hua kya nahi hua, mudda yeh nahi hai. Iss desh mein aisa hona nahi chahiye." pic.twitter.com/MUC65khffu

— ANI (@ANI) February 23, 2019

His comments come in the wake of the 14 February terror attack in Pulwama, which has led to people targeting Kashmiris across the nation. Students, in particular, have borne the brunt of the backlash. The prime minister in his address also  slammed Pakistan. “When Pakistan elected Imran Khan as its new prime minister, I congratulated him. I told him that we should fight against poverty and illiteracy together. He said to me he was the son of a Pathan and will stand by his word. Today, it is time to test if he will actually do so,” Modi said. He also criticised the Opposition Congress, saying that despite the whole country mourns the loss of the 42 jawans, there are “still people who are speaking the language of Pakistan while living in India.” “These are the same people who go to Pakistan and say ‘do anything but remove Modi’; these are the same people who dare not respond to terror convicts after the Mumbai attack. Such people are neither working for our jawans, nor our farmers.” The prime minister was seemingly referring to Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s visit to Pakistan to attend Imran’s swearing-in ceremony. Modi further criticised the Congress for not fulfilling its promise of complete farm loan waivers.  Tonk is the constituency of Rajasthan’s deputy chief minister and RPCC president Sachin Pilot.