NEW DELHI, Sept 29:
Top leaders of political parties were today briefed by the Government about the surgical strike carried out by the Army on terror launching pads across the LoC to foil plans of terrorists to target some Indian towns.
Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said after the hour-long meeting that all political parties unanimously supported the Army action, which was carried at 5-6 important places across LoC along Kupwara and Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir at an altitude of 6,000 feet and some of these terror launch pads were destroyed.
“The Home Minister explained the all-party meeting about the surgical strike which was carried out by the Army to foil attempts by terrorists to carry out attack not only in Jammu and Kashmir but some other important towns,” he told reporters.
The Army action came in the aftermath of terror attack in Uri on September 18 in which 18 soldiers were killed.
Naidu said the terrorists had carried out strike from these launching pads and they had plans to do the same in future too.
“Government and the Army had reports that the terrorists had plans to infiltrate again and create havoc in Jammu and Kashmir and some other places,” he said.
After the successful operation, the Army personnel had returned to their respective bases without suffering any casualty, he said adding further details would be available later.
The Minister said representatives of Congress, NCP, CPI(M), BSP, Shiv Sena, LJSP and TDP complimented the Indian Army action and assured the Government of their support in any action in future.
Those who attended the meeting include Ghulam Nabi Azad (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), Satish Chandra Mishra (BSP) and Ram Vilas Paswan (LJSP).
BJP President Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar besides the Home Minister and Naidu attended the meeting.
Naidu said the surgical strike was carried out as Pakistan was not mending its ways and testing India’s patience. Director General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh briefed the all-party meeting.
The all-party meeting was convened to inform political parties across the board of the action taken by the Army.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had briefed President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice-President Hamid Ansari and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of the surgical strikes.
Chief Ministers of various States, including Jammu and Kashmir, were also briefed about the latest development. Just before the all-party meeting, Swaraj had met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on the development.
With today’s action, Naidu said Pakistan should realise that India would no longer tolerate incidents like Uri in future.
“Our neighbour is aiding, abetting and funding terrorism,” the Minister said.
He also said the entire country is very happy with today’s action undertaken under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi.
Responding to a question on Pakistan denial of Indian action in PoK, Naidu said “what else can they say.”
In a series of tweets, Rajnath Singh, who chaired the all-party meeting, congratulated the Army on successful counter terrorism operations against terror groups and their launching pads.
“We are proud of our armed forces. They have once again exhibited exemplary courage and valour by destroying the anti India designs. I also congratulate the Prime Minister on taking a bold decision and showing true grit and mettle in crucial times,” he said.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad that they congratulated the Army for the “very good, successful operation”.
“We have been told that there were heavy casualties on the other side and there was no harm to our soldiers and they returned back safe. We will support all action of the security forces so that terrorism comes to an end and Pakistan does not support any terror activity from its soil,” he said.
Yechury said that his party supported the Army action but felt that military action is not the answer and talks should resume between the two neighbours.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi said a “strong message” has been sent with the surgical strikes by Army against terror bases across the LoC and insisted that Pakistan bears a “great responsibility” in the continuing cross-border attacks in India.
Offering the party’s support to the Government in the battle against terror, Gandhi said in a statement that “this is a strong message that conveys our country’s resolve to prevent further infiltration and attacks on our security forces and our people”.
With the Uri terror attack apparently weighing heavily on her mind, Gandhi asked Pakistan to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism that “it has supported and ensure that its territory and the territory under its control is not used for terrorist purposes against India”.
“The party hopes that Pakistan will recognise that it bears a great responsibility in the continuing cross-border terrorist attacks against India,” she said.
Congratulating the armed forces on the success of the operation, she said the party stands by the Government in its actions today to protect the country’s security and deal with the menace of terrorism from across the border.
Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Congress president Sonia Gandhi to brief her about the surgical strikes.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also met Gandhi, who is recovering from illness, before Swaraj.
Meanwhile, as part of Government’s efforts to take all political parties on board, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today informed Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Odisha, Punjab and Bihar and several opposition political leaders about the Army’s surgical strike across the Line of Control.
Soon after the announcement of the surgical strike on the terror launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, the Home Minister informed Chief Ministers Mamata Banerjee, Naveen Patnaik, Parkash Singh Badal and Nitish Kumar about the surgical strikes.
Singh also spoke to former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI-M’s Sitaram Yechury and informed them about the military action on terror launch pads, official sources said.
Meanwhile, with six districts of Punjab sharing boundaries with Pakistan, the Centre has asked the State to evacuate people residing in villages within 10 kms of IB in the wake of the “surgical strikes”.
The ceremonial beating retreat ceremony at Attari border has also been closed for public today, officials said.
The schools in the border areas have also been asked to remain shut until further orders, they said.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has put the entire Government and political machinery in an emergency mode, an official spokesman said here.
Hailing the Army for its valour and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, BJP President Amit Shah said this indicates a rise of “new India” as for the first time a clear response has been given to terrorists by targeting their “breeding centres”.
“Army has launched a successful surgical strike and damaged terrorists in a big way without suffering any casualty. This is a proof of our Army’s bravery, capacity and patriotism.”
“In this long war against terrorism a clear response has been given to terrorists by destroying their breeding centre for the first time,” he said.
Lauding Modi for taking steps to defeat terrorists, Shah said every Indian today feels safe in the fight against terrorism under his leadership.
“It is for the first time, in this frontal fight against terrorism, India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi is feeling secure,” he added.
“Today’s strikes signal the rise of a new India where the Government doesn’t get cowed down by nefarious designs of terrorists,” Shah said in a series of tweets.
The Army has shown great valor and bravery by destroying launching pads and training camps of terrorists in PoK in its surgical strike, he said in a statement.
Shah also noted that defence forces have killed 117 terrorists and foiled their 20 terror attempts in the last eight months and also congratulated Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley termed Indian Army’s “surgical strikes” on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as pre- emptive action.
“India is capable of repelling all forces that subvert peace in the region. We are proud of #IndianArmy & leadership of @narendamodiji,” Jaitley tweeted.
“We are proud of #IndianArmy for taking pre-emptive action & repelling terrorists’ attempt to destabilise peace & tranquility in the region,” the finance minister said in another tweet.
Minister for Power, Coal, Renewable Energy and Mines Piyush Goyal said: “Congratulations to the Indian Army for #SurgicalStrikes to safeguard our nation. We are committed to fighting against terror in the region.”
Minister for Law and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “Surgical strikes were conducted when Pakistan didn’t mend ways after repeated diplomatic efforts 2 check terrorism originating from their soil.”
The surgical strikes by the Army across the Line of Control were a “necessary step” which had not been taken for many years, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.
“The surgical strikes on terrorists across LoC has been welcomed across the country because it was a necessary step, which had not been taken for many years,” the HRD Minister said.
He said that as this step has been taken now, a confidence has been generated in the country that its defences are safe under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Javadekar said that the SAARC Summit will not be held in Pakistan as several countries have supported India, while the issue of Indus waters is also being looked at.
He also said that from the way External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj presented India’s viewpoint at the UN, Pakistan has been completely exposed.
“These surgical strikes have given a new confidence to the people and strength to the forces,” he said.
In a post on Twitter, Javadekar said that the “nation is proud of PM @narendramodi for isolating #Pakistan & now conducting surgical strikes to give a befitting reply to proxy war.”
Terming the surgical strikes carried out by the Army a “pre-emptive action” aimed against terrorists, Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore today said no territorial violations have been committed during the operations since PoK is very much a part of India.
He said the surgical strikes were not a military operation but anti-terrorist excercise “and LoC will not prevent us from carrying out an anti-terror operation”.
He said India is “not fond” of going into such offensives and acts with great restraint but will take action to protect its citizens.
“If you force us, we will. To protect our nation, we will stand together and carry out pre-emptive strikes. Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) is very much part of India. Therefore, we have not committed any territorial violations,” he said.
Speaking about the army’s action across the LoC, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made efforts to create an ambiance of friendship “but this should not be treated as weakness”.
“If our citizens are threatened, we will attack,” he said, adding it was a counter-terrorist operation.
“The terrorists were about to infiltrate into India and cause havoc and kill innocents. So it’s a pre-emptive strike that has been carried out in forward camps very close to the Line of Control,” Rathore added.
The Minister, himself a retired Colonel, said it’s important for Pakistan to realise that these terrorists are a threat to the entire humanity including that country.
“They call them non-state actors, so if they cannot prevent such attacks, India will protect itself. I think it is very critical to understand that this is an act of extreme restraint,” Rathore said.
Speaking about the operation, he said it seems there was intelligence about the terrorists grouping together after which military took action for protecting the country.
He expressed hope that Pakistan would realise that terrorists are threat to them as well and would rein them in. (PTI)
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