NEW DELHI, Dec 12:
Talking tough against terrorism, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today favoured a strong response to Pakistan to end terror attacks “once and for all”.
Addressing a conclave here organised By TV-Today group, Mr Parrikar said Pakistan was pushing terrorists in India and a strong message should go across the border. “I believe there should be a strong response to Pakistani terrorists. Pakistan is pushing terrorists in India,” he said.
“There has to be some strong response which will once and for all end or at least reduce these blatant attacks.” To a question what his Government has done to prevent the attacks, he said, “Ask me in six months what we have done.”
Mr Parrikar has returned from the Kashmir valley where he reviewed the security situation with the Army’s top officers. Terrorists had struck in the first week of this month before the third phase assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in which 20 people, including 11 security personnel and eight armymen, were killed. On the one-rank-one-pension policy, which the NDA Government had promised in the campaign to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Mr Parrikar said, “The Government is seriously considering implementing the policy. The announcement will be made in four to eight weeks.” Mr Parrikar said the speedy implementation of defence deals stuck in the mire of corruption, though transparent processes would be his top priority. He repeated that defence deals under his leadership would be fast and transparent. (UNI)