Stating that the National Democratic Alliance Government was aware of the hardships faced by the people of Jammu & Kashmir due to prolonged unrest, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that peace could well be around the corner in the troubled State and that the visit by an all-party delegation had ushered in a positive sentiment among the local residents.
Singh, who was in Goa to commission an Indian Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel (OPV), also said that the security agencies had killed more terrorists in the past, while also conceding that infiltration had increased somewhat in 2016, as compared to last year.
"The Government at its own level is trying to improve the situation there. Dialogue with the people there is on. There has been a perceptional change after the visit by the all-party delegation in the people there. Tolerating unrest for a long period is difficult for any population. We understand it. Peace and normalcy should be restored. We are working towards it," Singh told reporters onboard the OPV 'Sarathi'.
"The all-party delegation had gone to understand the situation there… Our effort will be to take all parties into confidence and take the next step. We are doing that," the Home Minister said.
Singh also conceded that infiltrations over the last few months had seen an increase, but also added that the kill-count of terrorists by the security agencies, including the Army had increased.
"Infiltration had been happening earlier, but I can say that the infiltration numbers have decreased in 2015 compared to earlier. But our security forces, our Army, our para-military forces commandos have succeeded in eliminating terrorists to quite an extent and compared to earlier there have been more eliminations," Singh added.
Singh also said that the NDA Government had been able to beef up the security forces in the country in terms of confidence, something which was not evident during the tenures of the previous dispensations.
"I can say that compared to earlier, our Government has been able to strengthen the Coast Guard or all other security forces. They are stronger than before and their confidence has risen compared to the past," Singh said.
Singh also said that the Indian Coast Guard was one of the main pillars of Indian maritime security, whose significance, is imperative as far as thwarting sea-borne terror attacks, like the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
"The importance of coastal security became evident after terrorists using sea routes and coastal security lacunae attacked Mumbai in 2008," Singh said.
The OPV commissioned by Singh is a 105 mts long vessels indigenously designed by the Goa Shipyard limited and is fitted with the most advanced state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machineries which includes a CRN 91 naval gun, integrated bridge system, integrated machinery control system, power management system and a high power external fire fighting system.
The ship is designed to carry one twin engine light helicopter, five high speed boats, including two quick reaction inflatable boats and is also capable of carrying pollution response equipment to contain oil spills at sea.