Will jawans take EC's permission before opening fire at terrorists: PM Modi on Shopian encounter

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday attacked the opposition or questioning the action by security forces against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

“Today terrorists were killed by our Army in Kashmir. Now some people are worried as to why did Modi kill the terrorists when voting is underway? An armed terrorist is attacking, do my jawans go to the Election Commission to seek permission to kill him?” said PM Modi while addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar.

PM Modi also predicted defeat of the opposition parties, saying the people were voting for an effective government. "Opposition parties will fall flat in Lok Sabha polls. This is because people are voting for an effective and honest government."

The PM said the Congress government wanted to suppress the Alwar gangrape case involving a lower caste woman, adding that the party thought "hua toh hua", a reference to Sam Pitroda's remark on 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The scathing attack by the PM came on a day when 59 Lok Sabha seats across six states and Delhi are voting in the sixth and penultimate phase of Lok Sabha polls. 

Elections are being held in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 10 seats in Haryana, eights constituencies each in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, seven seats in Delhi and four in Jharkhand. 

Over 10.17 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 979 candidates. The Election Commission has set up over 1.13 lakh polling stations for smooth conduct of the polls.