As PM Modi prepares for his biggest challenge yet… | OPEN Magazine Special

Two days after the butchery in Pahalgam, he (PM Modi) asserted, “Today, from the soil of Bihar, I vow to the whole world that India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist, their handlers and supporters. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. They will be punished beyond their worst nightmares.”

Switching midway to English, to take that vow of punishing terror without respite to the entire world, he said, “The perpetrators will face the full force of India’s response.” In a mark of respect for those fallen at Pahalgam, he urged the crowd to observe a minute’s silence.

The following Sunday, April 27, in his 121st Mann ki Baat session, Modi maintained that terrorists were growing increasingly frustrated about the return of peace and the end of the gun and stone-pelting culture in the Valley, and were determined to thwart democracy in J&K.“They are not enemies of India alone but also of J&K,” he said, adding, “Terrorists want to destroy Kashmir once again. Global leaders have called me, written letters, and sent messages. Everyone has strongly condemned this heinous terrorist attack.”

He further said, “The entire world stands with the 1.4 billion Indians in our fight against terrorism. The unity of this nation is our greatest strength, and we must strengthen our resolve as a people and demonstrate our unwavering willpower. The outrage over this incident is being felt worldwide.”

The jury was no longer out on Modi’s intent to retaliate with full force against both terrorists and terrorist enablers in the Pakistan army. There should have been little doubt on this since Modi’s USP has always been national security, and his personal and political image has long been firmly linked to his credentials as a leader who prioritises safeguarding the nation.

But that the weight of expectations on him is the primary driving force behind the decision to hit Pakistan hard is only part of the story. The courage of Modi’s convictions about India’s special identity, her strong cultural and religious roots, her sovereignty and her power as a democratic nation has been evident all through his political journey.

Excerpts from "The Courage of His Convictions," by PR Ramesh, published in OPEN Magazine on 02 May 2025. Read the full article here: https://openthemagazine.com/cover-stories/the-courage-of-his-convictions/