‘Won’t hesitate to cross borders…’: Rajnath Singh talks tough to terrorists

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday issued a tough warning to terrorists thinking of attacking India, saying the nation would not back down from a fight and that the Narendra Modi government is ‘working to wipe out terrorism from the country’. The union minister was speaking at an event in Assam’s Guwahati to honour of veterans of the 1971 war.

“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.”

Rajnath Singh also referred to India’s eastern borders, which he said was more peaceful and stable – compared to the western frontier – because Bangladesh is a friendly neighbour. The comment was seen by many as an indirect swipe at both China and Pakistan.

“The tension that India experiences on western frontier does not exist along eastern boundary as Bangladesh is a friendly country… The problem of infiltration has almost ended. There is peace and stability at the border (on the eastern frontier) now,” he said.

The minister has had tough words this month for those who would attempt terror attacks in or against India. In the US with foreign minister S Jaishankar to attend the 2+2 meeting with their American counterparts, Singh said India, if harmed, would not spare anyone.

“I cannot say openly what they (Indian soldiers) did and what decisions we (the government) took. But I can definitely say that a message has gone (to China) that India will not spare anyone, if India is harmed…” he declared.

The aftershocks of the Ladakh border stand-off in 2020 – clashes in the Pangong Lake areas and the Galwan Valley – continue to be felt nearly two years later. As many as 20 Indian soldiers died for their country and an unspecified number of Chinese troops were killed.

The two sides so far held 15 rounds of talks (and counting) to resolve the tension

“Image of India has changed. Prestige of India has improved. In the next few years, no power in the world can stop India from becoming one of the world’s top economies,” Singh said.