Modi receives Seoul Peace Prize, makes veiled attack on Pakistan

Seoul, Feb 22 (IANS) In a veiled attack on Pakistan on cross-border terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that time has come for the global community to join hands to completely eradicate terrorist networks and their supply channels and to counter terrorist ideology.

Modi made the remarks in his acceptance speech at the Seoul Peace Prize and announced that he would donate the prize money of Rs 1.30 crore to the Namami Gange mission.

The Prime Minister said that radicalisation and terrorism are the biggest threats to global peace.

"Like Korea, India has also suffered the pain of cross-border strife. Our endeavour towards peaceful development has only too often been derailed by cross-border terrorism. While India has been the victim of cross-border terrorism for over 40 years, all nations today face this grave threat which respects no borders.

"The time has come for all those who believe in humanity to join hands to completely eradicate terrorist networks and their financing, supply channels, and to counter terrorist ideology and propaganda. Only by doing so can we replace hate with harmony, destruction with development, and, transform the landscape of violence and vendetta into a post-card for peace," he said.

India has linked Pakistan to the last week's terror attack in Pulwama which killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Modi had also referred to the menace of terrorism after his delegation level talks with the South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

He said time has come for the global community to "come together" and "go beyond words" to act against terrorism and expressed his gratitude for South Korea's support in the wake of the Pulwama attack.

He said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India's Home Ministry and South Korea's National Police Agency will further forward the counter-terrorism agenda.

"Time has come for the global community to come together and go beyond words to act against terrorism," he said.

Modi said the Seoul Peace Prize was established to mark the success and spirit of the summer Olympics held in Seoul in 1988 and noted that the games were an important landmark in world history.

"The 1988 Olympics were held at a time of many changes in the world. The Iran-Iraq war had just ended. The Geneva accords relating to the situation in Afghanistan had been signed earlier that year. The Cold War was ending, and there was great hope that a new golden age will soon dawn," he said.

Modi said he was accepting the award on behalf of people of India and it belongs to the success that India has achieved over the past five years due to the strengths and skills of 1.3 billion Indians.

The Prime Minister said the award was recognition of the philosophy that has given the message of 'Vasudhev Kutumbakam' (the entire world is one family) and, referring to Gita, noted that it is for the culture that has given the message of peace even on the battle-field.

He said a few months before the Seoul Olympics, the first public warnings about climate change were sounded and it is recognised as a big threat to humankind.

"A few weeks before the Seoul Olympics, an organisation called Al Qaeda was formed. Today, radicalisation and terrorism have become globalised and are the biggest threats to global peace and security," he said, adding that millions of people still remain without adequate and quality access to food, shelter, health-care, sanitation, power, and dignity of life.

He said solution to the hardships lies in hard work and India is doing its part.

He said progress over the past year towards peace on the Korean peninsula has been heartening and lauded the role of South Korean President Moon jae-in.

After his talks with the South Korean President, Modi said both New Delhi and Seoul are committed to strengthen their mutual and global cooperation to combat terrorism.