Gratitude for US Support in Counter-Terrorism
On Tuesday, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his gratitude to his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, for the United States' backing in India's fight against terrorism. During a phone conversation, they engaged in a productive discussion aimed at enhancing the India-US defense partnership through ongoing and new initiatives. Singh highlighted Pakistan's notorious history of cross-border terrorism, which is well-known globally, and emphasized that it has become a haven for internationally banned terrorists. Previously, Singh had issued a stern warning to Pakistan during his rally in Bihar without naming the country.
On Wednesday, Singh stated that the Narendra Modi government will not hesitate to eliminate terrorists, regardless of their location, and will not differentiate between the perpetrators and the governments that sponsor them. Speaking at a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state executive in Bihar, he sent a strong message to Pakistan without directly naming it.
Under Modi's leadership, there has been a significant shift in the country's security policy, marked by actions such as the 'surgical strikes' and the Balakot airstrike. Singh referred to the military operations conducted following the Pulwama terrorist attack, stating, 'For the first time under Operation Sindoor, we targeted terrorist bases located 100 kilometers beyond our borders. Importantly, we only struck those who attacked us, ensuring that no civilian or military establishment was harmed.'
He remarked, 'Under Modi's leadership, our policy has been to eliminate terrorists without hesitation, regardless of their location. We will do this without distinguishing between the masterminds of terrorist attacks and the governments that sponsor them.' Singh noted that due to Modi's emphasis on 'indigenization' and 'self-reliant India,' there has been a significant increase in the country's defense exports.
The minister added, 'The Modi government operates with a long-term vision, which is in stark contrast to the previous Congress-led administrations that lacked direction and were driven by vote bank concerns.'
Singh also indirectly referenced the controversy surrounding comments made by RSS chief Dattatreya Hosabale, who suggested removing the terms 'secular' and 'socialist' from the Constitution's preamble, arguing they were added during the Emergency. He questioned, 'I want to ask the fake secularists why the term secular was not included in the separate constitution of Jammu and Kashmir after it was added to the national constitution? Shouldn't that state have been secular, especially where minority Hindus face oppression? Jammu and Kashmir only became secular after Article 370 was abrogated.'
The former BJP president asserted that the party is the only political organization globally that has raised its voice against the atrocities faced by minorities in neighboring countries and took concrete steps through the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) upon coming to power. He stated, 'India has always believed in treating all religions with respect. Zoroastrians have been welcomed with open arms. In Kerala, there are some of the world's oldest churches. We are the only country that recognizes all 72 sects of Islam.'
Singh contrasted this with the situation in Pakistan, where even Ahmadiyya Muslims face persecution. He remarked, 'The situation in Bangladesh is also dire. The treatment of Hindus there is a blot on humanity.'
