Indian PM urges nation to 'fight as one'

CHANDIGARH, India

A day after cross-border air raids escalated tensions with nuclear-armed neighbor Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India will fight as one nation.

Speaking on Thursday to his party workers across the nation in a video conference, he said the enemy wants to destabilize the country.

"When the enemy tries to destabilize India, then one of their motives is to ensure that India's development is stalled.

"We must show that the nation will not stop. Our soldiers are defending our borders. We must also work like soldiers and continue our work," local broadcaster India Today reported.

"India will live as one; India will work as one; India will grow as one; India will fight as one," he added.

He went on to say: "We must ensure that our enemy should not get a chance to point fingers at us."

Opposition reacts

Several Indian opposition leaders hit out at the prime minister for stoking tensions prior to general elections.

Randeep Singh Surjewala, a leader of the main opposition Congress party, said in a tweet: “Glaring case of misplaced priorities.......Modiji desperate only for re-election."

Mayawati, chief of Bahujan Samaj Party, tweeted: “At a time when India is facing hostility of war and country needs firm leadership, PM Nrendra Modi instead of concentrating on the matters of national security trying to serve political interest by addressing his BJP workers is ridiculous besides betrayal of national sentiments.”

Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of New Delhi and leader of the populist Aam Aadmi Party, said in a tweet: “It is very sad, sir. The whole country is engaged in strengthening the soldiers, and you are engaged in strengthening the booth.”

Pakistan claimed on Wednesday it had downed two Indian aircraft that crossed into its territory and arrested a pilot. India denied the claim saying they had struck down a Pakistani aircraft and lost a jet in the process.

On Tuesday, Indian jets entered Pakistan claiming to have killed several terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), a militant group which claimed responsibility of a suicide bombing that killed more than 40 Indian troops earlier this month.

Pakistan, which has recognized JeM as terrorist organization since 2002 but is accused by India of providing the group a sanctuary, denied the claim saying the Indian jets had dropped bombs at empty forestland.

The two South Asian nations have fought three wars in 1948, 1965 and 1971 -- two of them over Kashmir -- since they were partitioned in 1947.

Written by Ahmad Adil