Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that there were no types of terror and that it should be condemned in all its forms. Speaking at the Home Ministers of SAARC conference in Pakistan, Singh said “terrorism is terrorism” and “there should be no glorification of terrorists as martyrs.”
Rajnath Singh also said that merely condemning terrorists was not enough and those who “provide support, and encouragement” to the terrorists must be isolated along with those who provide assistance to the terror elements. He also said that there should be strong action against “individuals, organisations and nations” who lend support to terrorists. You can read Rajnath Singh’s speech here.
News reports claimed that Singh decided to skip the lunch hosted by Nisar. There was, however, no confirmation on this development by the Indian government.
Singh’s comments come in the wake of recent protests over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, who was killed in an encounter by security forces on July 8 in Kashmir. Kashmir has since been facing massive unrest in various pockets of the state.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had last month praised Burhan Wani and termed the slain militant commander as a martyr, much to India’s ire. Along with observing July 19 as a ‘Black Day’ to support the people of Kashmir, PM Sharif had also said that Pakistan would “continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support for Kashmiris in their just struggle for right to self-determination.” He further said that Pakistanis were waiting for the day when Kashmir would become a part of their country. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj hit back at Pakistan for the statement saying that “its Kashmir dream will never be fulfilled till the end of eternity.”
