NEW DELHI: Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted opposition parties and accused them of "helping Pakistan and harming India" with their statements. PM Modi said, addressing a rally in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari "Sadly, a few parties, guided by Modi hatred have started hating India. The world is supporting India's fight against terror but a few parties suspect our fight against terror,".

He further said, in the first of many election rallies in Tamil Nadu "It is no wonder that while the entire nation supports our armed forces, they suspect the armed forces,". He questioned "They are the same people whose statements are being happily quoted in Parliament of Pakistan and in the radio of Pakistan. I want to ask them- do you support our armed forces or suspect them,". The Prime Minister also praised Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan and will be released shortly. "The entire country is proud that the brave Wing Commander Abhinandan is from Tamil Nadu."

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Referring to India's air strikes on a terror camp in Pakistan on Tuesday, PM Modi said: "India will no longer be helpless in the face of terror." As he justified India's move to send fighter pilots to Pakistan to target a training camp of the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, PM Modi also took a swipe at the Congress.

PM Modi said "There was a time when news reports would read- air force wanted to do surgical strike but the UPA blocked it but today we are in an era where the news reads that armed forces have full freedom to do what they want. This is an India which will return the damage done by the terrorist with interest. The events of the past few days have demonstrated the strength of our armed forces. It has also brought our nation closer,". PM Modi's comments come two days after 21 opposition parties met and put out a statement accusing the ruling BJP of "blatant politicisation of the sacrifices of armed forces."

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The parties urged the government to take the nation into confidence on all measures to protect India's sovereignty, unity and integrity. "National security must transcend narrow political considerations... The leaders observed that the prime minister has, regrettably, not convened an all-party meeting as per established practice in our democracy," the parties stated.

With the national election just weeks away, the political sparring took only a brief pause during the India, Pakistan tension following the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, in which over 40 soldiers were killed. The opposition has accused the PM and the BJP of carrying on with their political programmes and election campaign regardless of the escalated hostilities between India and Pakistan.