Rajnath: Won’t hesitate to cross border if ultras target India

GUWAHATI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday asserted that India would not hesitate to act against terrorists who target the country from across the border.

Speaking at a programme, where Assam-based veterans of 1971 India-Pakistan War were felicitated, Singh said the government was working to wipe out terrorism from the country. "India has been successful in giving out the message that terrorism will be strongly dealt with. We will not hesitate to cross borders if the country is targeted from outside," he maintained.

Singh said the eastern boundary of the country is currently experiencing more peace and stability compared

to the western frontier, with Bangladesh being a friendly neighbour. "The tension that India experiences on western frontier does not exist along eastern boundary as Bangladesh is a friendly country," he noted.

"The problem of infiltration has almost ended. There is peace and stability at the border (in the eastern frontier) now," the minister said.

Underlining that the Army has a "minimum role" in matters of internal security, Rajnath said the Army only wants the situation to improve in J&K so the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act can be removed from the area. "Some people believe the Indian Army does not want AFSPA to be removed. The Indian Army has a minimum role in the matter of internal security. Army only wants that soon the situation in J&K should be completely normal and AFSPA can be removed from there too," said the minister.

Noting Assam’s armed forces had played a crucial role in the Indo-Pak War of 1971, both on and off the battlefield, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said the sacrifices made by people of the state, especially the soldiers, continued to inspire generations.