Lucknow: Blaming Pakistan for waging a proxy terror war against India, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said it was a big challenge for the country. He also noted that Pakistan has been continuously violating the ceasefire agreement to which India has always given a befitting reply.
“Pakistan has waged a proxy terror war against India and it is a big challenge before us. We have taken many countries into confidence on this count…we are also taking diplomatic measures,” he said here. Citing the recent pact with UAE on cooperation on counter terrorism operation and intelligence sharing, Singh said it was a big diplomatic success. The Home Minister was speaking on India’s security scenario at at a conclave organised by Hindustan Media Ventures Ltd. Terming India’s borders with Pakistan and China as “very sensitive”, he said security arrangements had to be ensured keeping the situation in mind and as per the requirements.
Though the boundary with Nepal and Bhutan was peaceful and there was no problem, the borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar were “active”, he said.
Terming infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir as a big challenge, Singh said ever since the NDA government came to power in 2014, infiltration cases dropped to 52 in 2014 and further to 15 this year from 264 in 2012 and 277 in 2013 and congratulated the Army and Paramilitary forces for it.
The Home Minister said the Modi government went whole hog against infiltrators as a result of which 130 terrorists were killed while sneaking into Indian territory since 2014, compared to 110 in 2013 and 67 in 2012.
On the hue and cry over militant group ISIS the world over, the Home Minister said it will fail to set up any network in India.
Singh said ISIS will not succeed in India and for this credit should be given to those who believe in Islam.
“If some youth get detracted, their guardians show the way and inform us…four families have come to me and therefore I am sure that ISIS will not be able to succeed in expanding its network in India,” he said.
To a question on reports that ISIS has taken around 40 Indians hostage, he said it has not yet been confirmed.
He said that increasing defence power of India was not going down well with anti-national elements.
Singh also said border dispute with China persisted and attempts were being made to resolve it.
The Home Minister said Left Wing Extremism was a big challenge as 10 states and 125 districts were affected. Growing cases of cyber crime was another area of concern, he said.
To a question on some people within his party BJP or in the Sangh expressing views that go against religious amity, Singh said, “One or two statements should not be linked to the party….what the high command is saying and what our policies are should be seen.
” During the Independence struggle, even Congress was branded as a Hindu party, he said in the lighter vein.
On the stalemate in Parliament, Singh said the government does not want to ignore opposition as in healthy democracy their opinion should be respected. (PTI)
