Amid the Taliban’s effective takeover of Afghanistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday took a dig at what he termed as destructive forces and people who strive to create “empires of terror.” Those who follow such ideology can dominate for some time, but their “existence is never permanent as they cannot suppress humanity forever,” PM Modi said while virtually inaugurating multiple projects in Gujarat’s Somnath.

Invoking the destruction of Somnath temple, Modi said idols were desecrated there many times and attempts were made to wipe out its existence. “But it came up in its full glory after every destructive attack, which gives self-confidence to us,” PM Modi said.

According to an NDTV report, the Taliban rummaged through in the now-defunct Indian consulates in Kandahar and Herat provinces of Afghanistan, searching closets and taking away parked cars. 

India also evacuated its embassy personnel and citizens from the country as the Taliban completed a week-long military offensive against Afghan security forces with the takeover of capital city Kabul on August 15. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar agreed to continue close coordination over the Afghanistan situation during a second conversation this week.

India rushed home its embassy personnel and other stranded citizens from Afghanistan this week.

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On Thursday, after chairing the UN Security Council briefing on the ‘Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts’, Jaishankar said India is working with US and other international partners to bring stranded Indian nationals back home from Afghanistan.

At least 12 people have died in incidents of stampede and firing at the Kabul airport as thousands of Afghans are attempting to fly out of the country to escape Taliban rule

Meanwhile, PM Modi highlighted India’s ranking improvement in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index from 65th position in 2013 to 34th position in 2019.