Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed on Monday the untold story of how he ensured Pakistan was the first to officially know about the 2019 Balakot airstrike before disclosing it to the world.

Speaking at a poll rally in Karnataka’s Bagalkot, he said that “Modi doesn’t believe in attacking from the back and fights openly face to face”.

The PM said, “I had asked the forces to call the media and inform them, but I said before that I will inform Pakistan through telephone about airstrikes at night and the destruction caused, but Pakistan people did not come on the phone. So I asked forces to wait, and after informing them, we later disclosed to the world about airstrikes that happened during the night.”

He linked this to BJP-governed “new India’s policy of looking an adversary in the eye and speaking the truth rather than resorting to stealth”.

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The Prime Minister added that “Modi doesn’t believe in attacking from the back and fights openly face to face”.

He also warned those who try to kill innocent people in the country and said, “This is Naya Bharat (New India). Ghar me ghuskar ke maarega (will kill inside one’s (enemy) territory).

Recounting with amusement, he also said that when India launched air strikes in Pakistan, many people initially thought it was conducted in Bagalkot, the similar-sounding Karnataka district. “We then held a press conference and disclosed information about it and the destruction caused to the enemies, after the strikes,” he told the gathering.

India warplanes attacked a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot on February 26, 2019, in response to the Pulwama terror attack.

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Meanwhile, during the Navanagr rally, PM Modi’s fifth campaign stop in north Karnataka in 24 hours, saw him doubling down his tirade against Congress for its vote bank politics, including “reservation for Muslims” in violation of the Constitution.

PM Modi said Congress snatched slices of the quota from Dalits, SC/STs and OBCs and handed these to Muslims by putting them on the OBC list. “BJP is ramping up the share of SC/ST/OBC representation by encouraging them to enter public life, which Congress is unable to tolerate.”

(With inputs from PTI)