‘Forces can cross LOC if required’

NEW DELHI: Blasting Pakistan for giving political legitimacy to terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said security forces can cross over the Line of Control, if needed, to protect the country's territorial integrity. Singh said the Modi government wants a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue. "We not only secure India internally but can also cross the border, if needed, to protect the country," he said.

Blasting Pakistan for giving political legitimacy to terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said security forces can cross over the Line of Control, if needed, to protect country’s territorial integrity.

Making it clear that Jammu and Kashmir will remain an integral part of India, Singh said the Narendra Modi government wants a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue and the interlocutor appointed by it was ready to talk to anyone who is willing to have a dialogue, reports PTI.

“We not only secure India internally but can also cross border, if needed, to protect the country,” he said at the News18 Rising India summit.

In September 2016, the Indian Army had carried out surgical strikes at the terror launch pads across the LoC and inflected significant casualties to avenge the terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.

The home minister said India wants to maintain friendly relations with Pakistan, but that country was not keen for it, rather giving “political legitimacy” to LeT founder and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

“Pakistan is now providing political legitimacy to a UN designated terrorist. Hafiz Saeed is now allowed to form a political party, he will contest elections and go to Parliament. Haqqani Network, which is responsible for killings of scores of people are being abeted and given protection. It is shocking,” he said.

Singh, however, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has achieved huge success in taking the fight against terrorism on international forum. Earlier nobody talked against Pakistan’s terrorism, now the US has also condemned Pakistan, he said.

He said despite Pakistan’s best efforts, Kashmir would never be separated from India. “Kashmir was with India, Kashmir is with India and Kashmir will remain with India forever,” he said.

Singh said Kashmir’s children were like his own and would not allow anyone to radicalise them.

The minister said he had personally asked Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to ignore cases filed against the firsttime stone-pelters.

Following Singh’s request, the Jammu and Kashmir government had withdrawn cases registered against 9,730 people involved in stone-pelting incidents, including firsttime offenders.

Singh also highlighted the government’s efforts in dealing with Maoists and the inurgents in the Northeast.