Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday sought to dispel the misconception that the Army was against the removal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958.
Speaking at a function in Guwahati to felicitate the Assam-based veterans of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, he also said India would eliminate terrorism from across the border, if needed.
Mr. Singh said the partial removal of the AFSPA from Assam, Manipur and Nagaland was the result of durable peace and stability in the northeast. “Some people believe the Indian Army does not want AFSPA to be removed… the Army has a minimal role in internal security. The Army wants the situation in Jammu & Kashmir to be completely normal so that AFSPA can be removed from there as well,” he added.
Cross-border terror
Mr. Singh said the Centre has taken a firm stand to end terrorism in all its forms in the country. “We have shown that, if needed, we will eliminate terrorism emanating from across the border,” he said in a veiled threat to Pakistan.
The government does not and will not hesitate to take bold decisions to protect and unity and integrity of the country, he added.
Lauds BRO
Mr. Singh lauded the Border Roads Organisation for strengthening the infrastructure along the international border from Arunachal Pradesh to Ladakh. He lauded BRO projects including the Atal Tunnel (Himachal Pradesh) and the under-construction Sela Tunnel (Arunachal Pradesh) for providing all-weather connectivity to the far-flung areas and enhancing the defence preparedness.
He also touched upon the steps taken by the Ministry of Defence to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of make-in-India. “Earlier, India was counted amongst the defence importers. Today, we are ranked among the top 25 defence exporters of the world. In the last few years, we have increased our defence exports by about 334 percent. We have set an export target of ₹35,000 crore by 2024-25,” he said.
More than 300 war veterans and members of their families attended the felicitation ceremony organised by the Assam government to honour the valour, dedication and sacrifice of the soldiers to ensure India’s victory in the 1971 war, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.
“Our government has made efforts to recognise and compensate the sacrifices made by our soldiers by way of offering ₹50 lakh as ex gratia, jobs for their next of kin, 2% job reservation in government jobs, and reservation of seats for their wards in medical studies,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
