OPINION | For Pakistan, Modi’s silence signals a lull before the storm-OxBig News Network

India on Saturday banned all direct and indirect imports from Pakistan. It also banned entry of all Pakistan-flagged ships to its ports. Even mail and posts from Pakistan have been stopped. A day earlier, Indian Air Force jets conducted a flypast and landing drill on Ganga Expressway near Shahjahanpur, UP, while the Indian Navy conducted exercises in the Arabian sea. Army troop movements continue on the border of Rajasthan and J&K. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed rallies in Kerala and Amravati (Andhra Pradesh), but he did not mention Pakistan. It was Nara Lokesh, AP CM Chandrababu Naidu’s son, who told the rally that India has “a huge NaMo missile” and Pakistan will be taught a lesson. Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership is presently on tenterhooks, and keeping a careful watch on Indian activity. People living on the Pakistan side of LoC and the international border have been asked to stock food and water for a month. On Saturday, Pakistan tested its Abdali ballistic missile with a range of 450 km. Pakistan’s ministers are a confused lot. They do not know what to say and what to do to prevent an Indian attack. While some ministers are threatening nuclear attacks, others are sending messages of peace. The ground reality is: both the Pakistani leaders and army know the might and capability of the Indian army and they are scared. They are also foxed by Modi’s studied silence. For them, Modi’s silence signals a lull before the storm.

Muslims denounce Pakistan: How Asim Munir’s gambit failed

Renowned lyricist Javed Akhtar has said, India should now attack Pakistan and show no mercy. He described Pakistani Army Chief Gen Asim Munir as insane. “No mercy should be shown to him”, he said, adding, “the time has come to teach Pakistan a lesson it will remember forever.” Throughout India, after Friday prayers, lakhs of Muslims came out of mosques to denounce the Pahalgam killings. Hurriyat Conference chief Mir Waiz Omer Farooq, while addressing the Friday congregation at Srinagar Jama Masjid, wept. He said, “the brutal attack in Pahalgam is a blot on humanity and a sin in the eyes of Islam…Such killers must be hunted and killed”.  It was Gen. Asim Munir’s plan to provoke confrontation between Hindus and Muslims in India. The killers deliberately asked the names and religion of the victims, before they were shot. Some of the killers forced victims to read the ‘kalma’ (Islamic verse) to check whether they were Muslims or not. They did not touch women because they wanted to convey their message to the world through them. This heinous act was part of a well-planned conspiracy. But the Hindus and Muslims of India foiled this plot. Voices are emanating from mosques in India against Pakistan and leaders like Omar Abdullah, Asaduddin Owaisi and Umar Farooq are denouncing Pakistan. The message has gone to the whole world. This is India’s first victory in the ongoing battle.

Classic: How Modi silenced Rahul on Adani issue

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, took a dig at Congress-led INDIA bloc  while inaugurating the deepwater Adani sea port in Vizhinjam. Present on the dais were Kerala CM P. Vijayan, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, other CPI-M and Congress leaders and Adani group chairman Gautam Adani. Modi said, “I would like to say to our CM (Vijayan), a strong pillar of INDI alliance and Shashi Tharoor sitting here..Today’s event here will give sleepless nights to many people.” Chief Minister Vijayan praised Adani group for building this sea port. Modi said,  Left leaders and Congress MP praising an industrialist depicts the picture of a New India. Modi then turned towards Gautam Adani and said that the people of Gujarat would feel unhappy because he has not built a similar port in Gujarat. Gautam Adani’s son Karan Adani, MD of Adani Ports and SEZ,  told India TV correspondent Nirnay Kapoor that after Vizhinjam port becomes fully operational, transportation costs of goods being exported by and imported to India will be reduced by 30 to 40 per cent. Everybody knows whom Modi was targeting. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had been speaking ad nauseam  against Adani for the last 10 years. He had been alleging that Modi gave away ports, airports and power projects to his friend Adani. Rahul had gone to the extent of alleging that Adani did not work at all, but only took advantage of his friendship with Modi. Gautam Adani never spoke a word against Rahul Gandhi. Modi also remained silent. Congress media cell tried its best to tarnish Modi’s image because of Adani. Today, Modi squared up the account. He showed to the world that a Left Front government not only worked with Adani to build a new India, but its chief minister also praised Adani. Modi showed he had nothing to hide. The deepwater sea port that Modi inaugurated at Vizhinjam is a world class port. It is nothing short of a miracle and a big milestone for India’s infrastructure. Not only Kerala, but the whole of India will benefit from this port.

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