‘We chose peace, they chose proxy war’: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at Pakistan over cross-border terrorism and said that New Delhi’s attempts to foster peace were met with hostility and betrayal.
In a podcast interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman released on Sunday, PM Modi said that Pakistan had been waging a proxy war against India.
“They chose not to foster a harmonious coexistence. Time and again, they decided to be at odds with India. They have waged a proxy war against us. Don’t mistake this for ideology,” he said when asked about the strained ties with Pakistan and whether he saw a path to friendship and peace.
PM Modi recalled that he invited then-Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to attend his swearing-in ceremony in 2014 to “turn a new leaf” in the tumultuous India-Pakistan relations.
“When I invited my Pakistani counterpart to my swearing-in, it was a gesture of goodwill. It was a diplomatic gesture unlike any in decades. The very people who once questioned my approach to foreign policy were taken aback when they learnt I had invited all Saarc heads of state. Yet, every noble attempt at fostering peace was met with hostility and betrayal,” he said.
He asserted that even the people of Pakistan had been longing for people as “they must be weary of living in strife and unrest”.
“They must have grown weary of relentless terror, where even innocent children are killed and countless lives are destroyed. What kind of ideology thrives on bloodshed and the export of terror?” he said.