STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: Expressing concern over terror attacks on troops in J and K, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said centre has conveyed its “readiness” and full support to State Government to deal with it as security and safety of its troops is prime duty of government.
“It (terror attacks) is a matter of concern. Prime Minister has himself paid tributes to the martyred soldiers. Loss of every soldier is a big loss to the country. We are concerned about it and should ensure that such incidents are not repeated and loss of precious lives do not take place in future,” Singh said.
He further said “India is proud of its armed forces and para-military forces. Such a message should not go that we are not concerned about our troops. We are very concerned about them,” he said.
“We are concerned about it. It is more important in view of forthcoming Amarnath yatra is approaching close. I hope that the state government and security agencies will take a call on it and ensure increased security and exercise more caution after taking cognisance of this,” he said.
“Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has already conveyed the centre’s readiness and willingness to all types of support and cooperation in dealing with it”, Singh said.
Asked about his reaction on Centre’s move to reduce footprints of security forces on one side and increasing militancy on the other side resulting in demoralisation of army, he said “Centre does not want that moral of the troops go down. The armed forces should get the highest respect and their security is prime.”
“We hope that State Government and security agencies take measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated after going through any negligence in the security setup,” he said.
On Amarnath Yatra, he said “the State Government has assured us that they are ready to ensure peaceful for yatra and we hope that they will be more cautious keeping in view the present incidents.”
On the provocation by Pakistan over invite to separatists and carrying out terror attacks, he said “see whatever be the provocation I think it has been made amply clear by the MEA that if at all there be any talks it will only be bilateral talks and no third party would have any place and any recognition.
“You cannot have talks in the shadow of death and therefore, as far as India is concerned or Modi government is concerned it is very clear about how to go about in tackling terrorism sponsored from Pakistan soil,” he said. Asked how will India take these terror attacks, he said “Certainly it is serious issue…it is not something that is going to be taken lightly.”
Asked whether government considers terror attacks as a provocation from Pakistan after invite to separatists, he said “India is country with tremendous degree of resilience towards it neighbours and follows certain amount of clarity and consistence and therefore we do not get affected by what is imported from a foreign soil as far our attitude towards Pakistan and Pak sponsored terrorism is concerned”.
“We made it clear more than once by different quarters including Foreign Minister recently that we follow a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism. whenever an initiative of talks with Pakistan in initiated, it is purely bilateral talks without involvement of any third party”, he said.
