In a recent interview, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made several pointed remarks regarding Pakistan and the Congress party, drawing attention to his past actions and addressing current concerns.

Referring to his 2015 visit to Lahore, Prime Minister Modi asserted that he personally assessed Pakistan’s strength during the trip, in response to Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s statement regarding Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities. Modi’s statement seemed to challenge the notion that India should regard Pakistan with deference due to its possession of nuclear weapons.

Furthermore, Modi expressed awareness that his actions may cause apprehension among the people of Pakistan, but he expressed bewilderment over the concerns raised by some individuals within India itself.

In a veiled criticism of the Congress party, Modi referenced a past remark by a senior Congress leader insinuating complicity of Indian agencies in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He expressed dismay over such statements, which he deemed as siding with Pakistan and undermining India’s interests.

During a separate rally in Punjab, Modi also brought up historical grievances, blaming the Congress for the partition of India and emphasizing missed opportunities regarding Kartarpur Sahib, a significant Sikh shrine located in Pakistan. He suggested that had he been in power during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, he would have secured Kartarpur Sahib before negotiating the release of Pakistani soldiers who surrendered to India.