JOIN USPost Pulwama: Centre mulls 'fit reply'
Tempers ran high over Pulwama terror attack as bodies of many of the martyred soldiers were consigned to flames in different parts of the nation on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Centre did a tightrope walk in addressing the surging sentiments bordering on a war cry, and the need to maintain law and order.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh held back to back meetings in the national capital—first with leaders of all parties in Parliament and then with national Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Director of Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain.
In the high-level security meeting, the Home Minister took stock of the security situation in the country, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, and top security officials briefed Singh about the security measures put in place to foil any design of the Pak-based terrorist groups to disturb peace.
The Home Minister asked officials to take all possible steps to hunt down terrorists currently operating in the Kashmir valley.
Suspected ISI links
The government on Saturday also gave clear indications that security of Kashmiri separatists having suspected links with Pakistani intelligence agency ISI will be withdrawn after an assessment by the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
As tears flowed, anger rose and outrage spilled onto the streets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of Union Ministers assured the nation “each drop of bloodshed in Pulwama terror attack will be avenged”.
Government is seriously deliberately a “befitting reply” to the terror strike, acknowledging that the general mood is to avenge the incident, officials said.
Safety of Kashmiris
At the same time, worried over violence being unleashed against Kashmiris living in different parts of the country, the Centre on Saturday issued an advisory to all states to ensure safety and security of the students and people from Jammu and Kashmir living on their soil, in the wake of threats to them in some parts of the country.
In the valley, both the main regional parties - National Conference and erstwhile NDA ally PDP - advocated calm.
While NC vice-president Omar Abdullah expressed disappointment over the all-party resolution in Delhi not including appeal to maintain calm, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti cautioned that mischievous elements must not be allowed to use the Pulwama terror attack as "an excuse to persecute or harass people" from the state.
PM Modi, addressing rallies in Dhule and Yavatmal, asserted that the sacrifices of soldiers won’t go in vain and the government has given security forces full freedom to choose the time, place and manner of future course of action. Even NDA ally Nitish Kumar, who generally advocates the middle path, on Saturday said the Pulwama attack was unprecedented and the prevailing mood in the country calls for stern action.
Singh, who chaired a meeting of floor leaders of political parties in both houses of Parliament, said Government is determined to “root out” terrorism.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar asserted that country is “fully geared to fight a decisive battle” against the scourge of terrorism and the government is “committed to take this fight to its logical conclusion".