Modi’s bloodlust

In what can only be described as a chilling display of belligerence, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again revealed the true extent of his hawkish ideology. Speaking in Bhuj, Gujarat, on the anniversary of his 11 years in power, Modi issued a direct threat to the people of Pakistan: “Live peacefully and eat your bread, or else my bullet is ready.” Far from diplomatic nuance or responsible statesmanship, these words lay bare the dangerous mindset of a leader whose rhetoric grows more unhinged with each passing day. This was not mere posturing. These words come in the shadow of India’s recent, and entirely unprovoked, missile, drone and air strikes on Pakistani territory on the night of May 6–7. Civilian areas in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir were targeted – Sialkot, Shakargarh, Muridke, Bahawalpur, Kotli, Muzaffarabad – demonstrating that India under Modi is no longer hiding behind the veneer of ‘surgical strikes’ or ‘terrorism countermeasures’. It has become a rogue state acting with complete disregard for international law or norms. And now, Modi’s rhetoric has taken a new and sinister turn: an explicit threat against the Pakistani population.

The world should take note. This is the language of a demagogue, not a democrat. And these are not the words of a victor, but of a man enraged by a humiliating defeat. Despite India’s high-tech weaponry, including Rafale jets, the Pakistani military response was swift, strategic and effective. Key Indian military installations were struck, and India’s losses were reportedly significant. Modi may be trying to spin his way out of that humiliation with fiery words, but the facts speak louder: it was Pakistan that showed strength, not just militarily but in exercising restraint and responsibility. Unfortunately, Modi’s behaviour fits a long pattern of violence and hatred, particularly towards Muslims and minorities. The 2002 Gujarat riots, in which over a thousand people – most of them Muslims – were massacred, are forever etched in history. The BBC’s 2023 documentary on Modi reinforced what human rights organisations have long documented: that Modi, then chief minister, played a ‘proactive part’ in enabling the violence. It is this same man who now leads the world’s most populous country and a nuclear-armed military, with his sights set across the border.

This should really alarm the entire international community. For years, Pakistan has warned of India’s destabilising role in the region – whether through its brutal crackdown in Occupied Kashmir, the persecution of Muslims and dissenters within India, or its covert proxy operations in Balochistan and beyond. India’s behaviour is no longer just a threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty but a danger to regional and global stability. Pakistan’s diplomatic corps and the newly formed delegations being sent abroad, including Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, must urgently engage with global stakeholders. Modi’s rhetoric must be brought to the attention of world leaders as a signal of how far India’s democracy has decayed under his watch. A nuclear power led by a man willing to openly threaten civilian populations cannot be ignored or appeased. Let us also be clear: Pakistan has shown maturity and strategic patience in the face of aggression. But there are limits to restraint. If Modi miscalculates again, he should expect a response from Pakistan that will be far less measured than the last. Pakistan is not the aggressor, but it is not a passive observer either. Modi may seek domestic political gain through bloodlust and hyper-nationalist fury, but the price of such madness will be too high. It is time to call out India’s behaviour for what it is: not just provocative, but criminally reckless. The world must act – before Modi’s ‘bullet’ finds its next civilian target.