Gandhinagar, May 27: On the second day of his Gujarat visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued hammering Pakistan over its support to terrorism and said that for 75 years India has tolerated proxy wars
but not any more.

PM Modi said this on Tuesday, while attending the celebrations commemorating 20 years of Gujarat’s Urban Growth Story at Gandhinagar's Mahatma Mandir, marking two decades of structured and sustainable urban transformation in the state.

As part of the occasion, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation of development projects worth Rs 5,536 crore. These include housing, health, urban planning, and infrastructure initiatives aimed at boosting the state’s future readiness.

Recalling his launch of the Urban Development Year 2005 as the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, PM Modi formally announced the Urban Development Year 2025, a new phase of the urban transformation initiative. The plan aims to further strengthen urban infrastructure, sustainable living, and civic amenities across Gujarat.

Beginning his address with chants of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", the Prime Minister reflected on his recent visit across Gujarat: "Yesterday I was in Vadodara, Dahod, Bhuj, Ahmedabad and today in Gandhinagar. I could feel the patriotic fervour everywhere -- every hand held a Tricolour and every heart was filled with nationalism. It was an unforgettable sight, not just in Gujarat but across the nation."

In a significant and emotionally charged portion of his speech, PM Modi addressed the long-standing issue of terrorism stemming from Pakistan.

"In 1947, when Maa Bharati was divided, the chains of colonial rule should have been broken, but instead, the country was split into three parts. On that very night, the first terror attack began in Kashmir. A part of our nation -- PoK -- was taken away under the cover of terrorism. Sardar Patel had wanted the army not to stop until PoK was taken back. But no one listened to him," he said.

PM Modi sharply criticised decades of tolerance towards terrorism, saying: "For 75 years, we tolerated proxy wars. Tourists, pilgrims, civilians -- wherever they found a chance, they attacked. Tell me, should we keep tolerating this? 'Goli ka jawab gole se dena chahiye' (Or should we respond to bullets with bombs)?"

Reinforcing India's commitment to peace, the Prime Minister added, "We believe in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam -- the world is our family. We want peace for our neighbours too. But when provoked repeatedly, India has to remind the world that this (India) is also a land of warriors."

Among the key announcements was the e-foundation laying of a 1,800-bed hospital in Ahmedabad’s Civil Medical campus, to be built at a cost of Rs 588 crore, significantly enhancing healthcare capacity in the region.

Additionally, health infrastructure worth Rs 672 crore was inaugurated, including a satellite centre of the U.N. Mehta Institute of Cardiology and Research Centre in Gandhinagar.

The Rs 84 crore facility, located within the Gandhinagar Civil Hospital campus, will serve patients from North Gujarat and neighbouring regions with state-of-the-art cardiac and neurocare services.

The event in Gandhinagar reinforced PM Modi's long-term vision of inclusive, modern, and resilient urban development -- integrating infrastructure, health, and heritage while responding to the evolving challenges of the nation.

(IANS)

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