AGENCY
Lucknow: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday asked Pakistan to extend all help in tackling terrorism as it was also a victim of the menance.
“It (Pakistan) should extend full cooperation in checking terrorism because the country is facing a similar problem today,” Singh told reporters.
On Pakistan’s strong reaction to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s recent remarks about neutralising terrorists through terrorists, Singh said, “Not only India, but the entire world knows who is promoting terrorism.”
Reacting to Parrikar’s comments, Adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz had said it confirmed Islamabad’s apprehensions that India was involved in terrorism in that country.
“It must be the first time that a minister of an elected government openly advocates use of terrorism in another country on the pretext of preventing terrorism from that country or its non-state actors,” Aziz had said in a statement released by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier, addressing a SBI officers’ convention Singh expressed concern over Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) racket and said it was used to promote terrorism.
“FICN is a big problem as fake currency is used to promote terrorism,” he said and asked banks to be alert to that.
The Home Minister said India was taking all steps to fight terrorism.
Singh described banks as the “spine” of the country’s economy and said,”I want to see it as the nation’s lifeline.”
He described the nationalisation of banks as the “biggest” decision taken post-independence to improve the health of the economy.
“But even after nationalisation the connect with the people was not there. I want to congratulate the banking sector that they associated 15 crore families under Jan Dhan scheme. It’s not a small achievement,” he said.
The Home Minister also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching social security schemes.
“Even those who criticise us will realise this sooner or later. Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has appreciated the scheme,” he said.
He rubbished Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s accusation against the Centre for scrapping the food park project in his constituency Amethi.
The Home Minister asserted the government’s initiatives on the economic front will result in GDP growth touching the 10 per cent mark.
“India has the fastest growing economy. I am confident that GDP will reach minimum upto 10 per cent due to policy decisions,” he said.
He recalled how GDP growth had reached 10.4 per cent during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure due to execution of massive infrastructure projects.
The minister said government’s attempts to check black money generation will also boost the economy.
Rajnath Singh said through PM Modi’s Make in India initiative, the government wanted not only to promote domestic investors but also potential investors from abroad. “We want Made in India to be a big brand,” he said, adding the government wanted a manufacturing revolution to be ushered in. (PTI)
