Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the law-and-order situation in Jammu & Kashmir has improved to a great extent ever since the NDA Government came to power. Presenting the figures of blocking the entry of militants across the border, the Home Minister said after the NDA Government came to power infiltration attempts were successfully checked and large number of militants were eliminated.
Giving statistics about the infiltration attempts from across the border, he said in 2013, there were 277 infiltration attempts of which 97 were successfully foiled and security forces killed 67 militants during the year. Home Minister was interacting with media here in connection with Diwali Milan.
In 2014, there were 220 attempts of infiltration in which 67 were successfully halted and security forces killed 110 militants during that period. In 2015, till September 30, there were just 86 attempts of infiltration in which 86 were thwarted and 89 militants were killed. 165 militants belonging to lashker-e-Tayyeba, Hizbul Mujahideen and others, were eliminated, said Singh.
Asked whether differences have crept in the ruling PDP- BJP alliance in Jammu & Kashmir, the Home Minister said the coalition Government in the State will continue. “Alliance will continue.
There is no threat to it,” he said.
Commenting on the protests during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jammu & Kashmir, Singh said such incidents had taken place in the past too. “But you should remember that only a handful people were there (in protests)”, he said.
The Home Minister also said there was decrease of 33 per cent in the violence of Maoists during the last 18 months of NDA regime.
To questions on the relation with Pakistan and Nepal, the Home Minister said India always wanted good relations with neighbours. “Pakistan is our neighbouring country. We want very cordial relations with Pakistan. But Pakistan too has to reciprocate. We want very good relations with Nepal too. We will do everything for betterment of our relations with our neighbours," he said.
However to the questions on BCCI’s move to conduct cricket matches with Pakistan, Singh was cautious in reply. “You people are saying some moves. let these things come to a conclusion. At present, no such things and I don’t need to answer on it,” he said.