Separatist activities in J&K must end: Rajnath

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 28

Sending out a message of zero tolerance for violence, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said disruptive separatist activities in Jammu and Kashmir must end and would not be tolerated.

In the same vein, the minister sent a message to violent extremists like the National Democratic Front Bodoland (S), which had recently massacred 62 tribals, saying, “The government will not talk to terrorist groups that continue to kill innocent people. You can’t wield a gun and expect us to talk to you.”

Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a debate on the Home Ministry budget, Rajnath Singh informed the members that the government had approved fresh consignments of AK-47 for Jammu and Kashmir and northeast.

“The Central Armed Police Force needs to be equipped with latest guns. We are trying to find ways to further incentivise our forces and looking at ways of increasing the ex gratia of Rs 15 lakh offered at present when a jawan is killed in the line of duty,” Singh said.

He added, “You have seen how swiftly and firmly we acted against Masarat Alam who held an anti-Indian protest in the Valley. We immediately put him behind bars. Such activities by separatists will not be tolerated.”

The minister also informed the House that the government had approved Rs 983 crore for building a 711-km road along the Indo-Pakistan border in the Punjab sector. He added that 800 km of road along the Indo-China border had also been approved and the CPWD had been asked to build it.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday lauded Indian Muslims for discouraging ISIS. The minister said, “The Muslims of India deserve our gratitude for discouraging the IS consistently.”