Ruling out talks with Pakistan at this juncture Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that Indian Government has initiated pro-active steps to deal with proxy war unleashed by hostile neighbour against India.
“We have taken several pro-active steps including putting diplomatic pressure on Pakistan. The results will be visible in next six months. Ceasefire violations are there in the international border but it has come to an end at actual line of control,” Parrikar told reporters here on Tuesday.
He said at international border Indian soldiers have fiercely defended our border and called spade a spade. “I cannot divulge much but can say that Indian forces have thwarted attempts of infilteration. This time we have gunned down 70 per cent more ultras than last year,” the Defence Minister said.
“I am much concerned about Kashmir border. If there is any infiltration, a befitting reply would be given. It is our responsibility to ensure that India’s borders do not remain a place for infiltrators. This is my guarantee,” he said and added: “India wants peace with its neighbours. But if proxy war is forced on us, we know how to deal with it.”
Parrikar said Indian Government will not hold any talk with the Pakistan at this junction when it is violating ceasefire. The foreign ministry has made it clear that no dialogue can take place with Pakistan when it is violating ceasefire with impunity. If any dialogue has to take place Pakistan should end ceasefire violation. Our stand on this front is very clear, he said.
“The dialogues will have no meaning if ceasefire violation continues. If Pakistan wants peace its action should match its intention,” defence minister said.
He did not speak much on international matters but said: “Just wait till the summer sets in. You will get result.”
When asked about continuous intrusion by Chinese forces in India he said it is responsibility of all parties to set things right. Sab theek hona chahiyae (Everything should fall in place), he said. Defence Minister also clarified that he had never said that occupants of terror boat near Porbandhar had consumed cyanide pills. “I only said that terrorists always keep cyanide with them and could have used that to kill them. Immolation was not necessary for them,” he said.
He also announced that Army would hold an employment rally at Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, very soon for which the UP government has also given its assent.
“To avoid any incident during the employment rally the defence ministry would adopt an on-line registration system very soon. A trial of this on-line system would be done later this month. We will register the youths and after finding them eligible they will be called in a phased manner,” he said.
The minister also said that no middleman or commission agent would be allowed in the defence purchase.” Only those persons could be engaged who do not get commission or bonus in the purchase,” he said while adding that the defence ministry is appointing technical advisor to suggest ways to introduce transparency in purchase of defence items. He said that there is already provision in the law to have agents who can engage themselves in purchases at normal expense without any commission or bonus.” We will just clarify these rules,” he said.
Talking about the problems of the cantonment boards, he said that several issues have been addressed and the problem related to road blockade has been solved by directing that illegal blockade should be removed immediately.
Earlier in the day Parrikar also visited the Central Command headquarters here and inspected some of their installations.