If Pak not able to take action against terrorism, India can help: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said if Pakistan cannot take action against terrorism on its soil, India is ready to help the neighbouring country as Indian forces are capable of fighting terror on the other side of the border as well.

Initiating a special discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Rajya Sabha, Singh said three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack have been eliminated by Indian forces.

He further said that Operation Sindoor – India's response to the Pahalgam attack -- has been halted, and can be resumed anytime if Pakistan indulges in terror activities in India again.

"India wants terrorism to end in the whole world, including Pakistan... I had advised Pakistan earlier as well, and today I want to say again, that if you are unable to take effective action against terrorism in Pakistan, take India's help. India's forces are capable of taking effective action against terrorism this side of the border, as well as on the other side. Pakistan has already witnessed this during Operation Sindoor," he said.

"If Pakistan commits any terror incidents in future, we will relaunch Operation Sindoor without hesitation," he said. "Our vision is that Operation Sindoor should carry on continuously. There can be a comma but no full stop," he stressed.

The Defence Minister stressed that no religious, ideological, or political reason can justify terrorism.

He also congratulated the security forces for killing three terrorists who were involved in the Pahalgam attack in which 26 people were killed.

"I congratulate the forces for killing three terrorists who carried out the Pahalgam terror attack in April. These are the terrorists who killed people in Pahalgam," the defence minister said.

He said Home Minister Amit Shah has provided details of the joint operation by the forces in the Lok Sabha.

Singh said post the Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the service chiefs, and gave them free hand to use their wisdom, strategic understanding and regional security situation to decide on the response.

He said the military leadership also showed maturity, and stressed that India's response - Operation Sindoor - was aimed at giving a clear message that India will take strong action and go to any extent against terror.

"Our action was in self-defence, it was not expansionist...The aim was to destroy terror infrastructure and give the message of zero tolerance for terror," Singh said.

"The political-military objective was to punish Pakistan for using terrorism as a proxy war," he added.

Singh said Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) urged India to stop the hostilities, and India accepted it on the condition that the operation would be suspended, not terminated.

"If Pakistan commits any terror incidents in future, we will relaunch Operation Sindoor without hesitation," he said. "Our vision is that Operation Sindoor should carry on continuously. There can be a comma but no full stop," he said.

While expressing surprise over questions raised by some opposition leaders over getting back Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), Singh said, "I am surprised at this demand, because when they were in power, they did just the opposite".

"It has always been the stand of the Bharatiya Janata Party that the day is not far when the people of PoK will have the privilege of becoming a part of the Indian governance system," he said.

He said the forces achieved the goals set under the operation.

"Through Operation Sindoor, we have given a clear message, India can go to any extent against terrorism," he said.

Singh appealed to the international community to stop funding for Pakistan, stating that a major portion goes into funding terror activities.

"It is essential to expose countries that fund and provide shelter to terrorism in front of the world today. A large portion of the money or economic aid that Pakistan receives is spent on the factory of terrorism," he said.

He also slammed the United Nations over Pakistan’s appointment to the key counter-terrorism committee.

"The United Nations Security Council has appointed Pakistan as the Vice-Chair of the Counter-Terrorism Panel. The surprising thing is that this Counter-Terrorism Panel was formed after the 9/11 attacks. It is also no secret that Pakistan gave shelter to the mastermind of that attack," he said.

"We have always observed that countries like Pakistan have consistently supported terrorism. What a contradiction it is that both India and Pakistan gained independence at the same time, but today, while India is recognised worldwide as the Mother of Democracy, Pakistan has emerged as the Father of Global Terrorism," he said.

Earlier, as the Upper House reassembled at 2 pm, after it was adjourned around 11 am, Deputy Chairman Harivansh said the discussion on Operation Sindoor would be taken up, and urged the members to be mindful of the sensitive nature of the issue.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien tried to raise a point of order.

Harivansh, however, did not allow it, stating that it was not related to the topic of discussion. TMC MPs raised slogans against the SIR, and some MPs also trooped into the Well. As the Chair did not allow the Opposition MPs to speak, MPs from TMC and some other INDIA bloc parties staged a walkout from the House.