Dehradun, June 10 (UNI) Branding terrorism as an epidemic destined to perish, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday stressed that the menace cannot be left to die a natural death as its existence will continue to challenge collective peace, development and prosperity.

He underscored the urgent need for a permanent solution to terrorism, a Defence Ministry statement said.

“Terrorists are not fighters with a cause. No religious, ideological or political reason can justify terrorism. No human objective can ever be achieved through bloodshed and violence. India and Pakistan attained independence at the same time, but today, India has been recognised as the Mother of Democracy, while Pakistan has emerged as the Father of Global Terrorism.
"Pakistan has always given shelter to terrorists, trained them on its soil and helped them. It always tries to justify this menace. It is important that we eliminate these terrorists and their entire infrastructure,” said Rajnath Singh while addressing a dialogue on the topic ‘National Security & Terrorism’, in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

He urged the international community to stop foreign funding to Pakistan, saying that a large part of this financial aid is spent on terrorism. “Funding Pakistan means funding the infrastructure of terrorism. Pakistan is a nursery of terrorism. It should not be nourished,” he added.

Rajnath Singh expressed shock at the United Nations Security Council's recent decision to name Pakistan as the Vice-Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Panel, especially when the committee was formed after the 9/11 terror attacks.

“Pakistan had sheltered the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. Its land has been used as a refuge for global terrorist organisations. There, terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar roam around openly, and senior officers of Pakistan Army attend the funerals of terrorists. Now, the same country is expected to lead the global community against terrorism. This raises serious questions on the intentions and policies of the international system,” he said.

He called upon the global community and organisations such as the United Nations to think on issues like terrorism more seriously, stating that “Only when we are free from terrorism, will we be able to move towards the goal of global peace, progress and prosperity.”

He added that the common people of Pakistan are of the same view, but the rulers there have put the country on the path of destruction.

He advised Pakistan to seek India’s help if it is unable to take action against terrorism on its soil. He stated that the Indian Armed Forces are capable of taking effective action against terrorism on either side of the border, which was witnessed by Pakistan itself during Operation Sindoor.

Calling Pakistan stubborn, he termed it necessary for the whole world to put strategic, diplomatic and economic pressure on Islamabad to deal with terrorism emanating from its soil.

He said that Operation Sindoor is a proof that government has transformed India’s security apparatus by changing attitude towards national security issues.

“In the last 11 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government has transformed India’s security apparatus by changing the attitude and the way of action towards every issue related to national security, and the world witnessed this shift during Operation Sindoor”.

He described Operation Sindoor as the biggest action taken against terrorism in Indian history, which was carried out in response to the cowardly terror attack on innocent people in Pahalgam, J&K.

He said the April 22 Pahalgam incident was an attack on the social unity of the country, and India took a big and strong action against terrorism and its perpetrators by destroying terror bases and related infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK.

“Following the abrogation of Article 370, J&K heralded into the era of peace and progress. Our neighbours could not tolerate this, and executed the terror attack in Pahalgam. Despite Pakistan's best efforts, it has not been able to stop development in Kashmir. Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla railway link is a shining example of the government’s relentless pursuit of progress in J&K. Soon, PoK will join us and say ‘I, too, am Bharat’,” he added.

He asserted that while the Indian Armed Forces have given a befitting reply to terrorists, it is imperative to prevent terror incidents such as the one in Pahalgam in future. He emphasised on the need to be alert not just at the level of governments, but also at the public level.

He described terrorism as a distorted moral reasoning, the biggest curse on humanity, a major threat to peaceful co-existence and democracy, and an obstacle in the path of progress. The fight against terrorism is not just a question of security, it is a battle to protect the basic values of humanity.

Highlighting the strategy adopted by the government to deal with terrorism and strengthen national security, the Minister said the defence sector has emerged as one of the strongest pillars of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and the weapons/platforms used during Operation Sindoor were Made-in-India.

“Today, India is not only protecting its borders, but is also creating a system which is making us strategically, economically and technically strong. Earlier, we were completely dependent on foreign defence equipment, but today India is rapidly becoming Aatmanirbhar in defence,” he said.

He listed out the steps taken by the government to strengthen the defence sector, including increasing the defence budget from Rs 2.53 lakh cr in Financial Year (FY) 2013-14 to Rs 6,22 lakh cr in FY 2024-25; reserving 75 percent of the budget for capital procurement from domestic companies and the issuance of a total of 10 Positive Indigenisation Lists, comprising over 5,500 items.

“Today, Indian Armed Forces use state-of-the-art weapons, missiles, tanks and other systems/platforms manufactured within the country. Our indigenous missiles such as Agni, Prithvi and BrahMos stand ready to give a befitting reply to the enemy. We also have the strength to build aircraft carriers such as INS Vikrant,” he added.

Singh highlighted the growing use of information warfare in the 21st century, urging the people to become social soldiers by identifying lies, stopping rumours, and spreading awareness in the society.

He also exhorted the media that, in today’s times, ‘being most correct’ must be accorded priority than ‘being ahead’. “Instead of being ‘verified’, being ‘viral’ has become the standard of journalism. There is a need to avoid this,” he added.

Singh termed the media as a “watchdog” when the issue of national security is not only concerned with borders, but is now a challenge in cyber and social sectors.

“Journalism is not just a profession but a national duty. It informs while keeping us alert and vigilant towards the security of the country. A free and healthy journalism is a stabilising force that makes the society alert, unites it and spreads consciousness,” he said.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was among the dignitaries who attended the event. UNI RBE
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