India rejects use of terrorism as state policy: President says in I-Day speech

August 14, 2015

New Delhi, Aug 14: In an apparent message to Pakistan, President Pranab Mukherjee today said "our neighbours" must ensure that their territory is not used by forces inimical to India which rejects any attempt to use terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

"While we offer our hand willingly in friendship, we cannot stay blind to deliberate acts of provocation and a deteriorating security environment. India is a target of vicious terrorist groups operating from across the borders," the President said in his address to the nation on the eve of 69th Independence Day without taking any countries name.

Asserting that India's policy will remain one of zero tolerance for terrorism, he said "we reject any attempt to use terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Infiltration into our territory and attempts to create mayhem will be dealt with a strong hand".

The President said except the language of violence and the cult of evil, these terrorists have no religion and adhere to no ideology.

The statement comes against the backdrop of two terror strikes in Gurdaspur in Punjab and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir where militants infiltrated from Pakistan and killed security personnel and civilians.

While paying homage to the martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice of their lives defending India, the President specially commended two villagers of Udhampur area "who boldly detained a hardened terrorist ignoring the risk to their own lives."

The two civilians Rakesh Kumar Sharma and and Bikramjeet Singh captured Mohammed Naved Yukub, a Lashker-e-Taiba terrorist who was fleeing after carrying out an attack on BSF convoy along with his accomplice Mohammed Noman.

Two BSF personnel were killed while Noman was killed in retaliatory fire. Naved tried to escape from the scene and attempted to take Shama and Singh as a hostage. However, the duo outsmarted him and captured him.

He also talked about binding of nations with peace, friendship and cooperation and called for strengthening of connectivity, expand institutional capacity and enhance mutual trust to further regional cooperation.

"As we make progress in advancing our interests globally, India is also engaged in pro-actively promoting goodwill and prosperity in our immediate neighbourhood," Mukherjee said.

He noted it was heartening that the long pending land boundary issue with Bangladesh has been finally resolved.

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Modi 1st PM to lower dignity of public discourse; indulged in most vicious form of hate speeches: Manmohan Singh

News Network

May 30,2024

As Punjab votes in the last phase of 18th Lok Sabha polls on June 1, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a letter addressed to the voters of the state said that PM Narendra Modi has indulged in most vicious form of hate speeches, which are purely divisive in nature.

"Modi has indulged in most vicious form of hate speeches, which are purely divisive in nature," said Singh in the letter shared by Congress on social media platform X.

Singh in the letter added that 'no PM in past has uttered such hateful, unparliamentary terms to target either a specific section of society or opposition.'

"No PM in past has uttered such hateful, unparliamentary terms to target either a specific section of society or opposition," remarked Manmohan Singh in the letter.

“In the past ten years, the BJP government has left no stone unturned in castigating Punjab, Punjabis and Punjabiyat. 750 farmers, mostly belonging to Punjab, were martyred while incessantly waiting at Delhi borders, for months together. As if the lathis and the rubber bullets were not enough, none less than the Prime Minister verbally assaulted our farmers by calling them "Andolanjeevis" and "Parjeevi" (Parasites) on the floor of the Parliament. Their only demand was the withdrawal of the three farm laws imposed on them without consulting them," said the former Prime Minister.

On economic front:

Manmohan Singh further continuing his attack on Modi-led government said that in the past 10 years, 'the nation's economy has witnessed unimaginable turmoil.'

"The imposition of the demonetisation disaster, a flawed GST, and the painful mismanagement during the COVID pandemic has resulted in a miserable situation, where an expectation of a subpar 6-7 per cent GDP growth has become the new normal. Average GDP Growth under BJP Government has plunged to under 6 per cent, while during Congress-UPA tenure, it was about 8 per cent (New Series)," commented Singh.

"While the Congress-UPA, despite challenges, increased the purchasing power of our people, the misrule of the BJP Government has resulted in depletion of household savings to a historic 47-year low. Rural wages have witnessed a systematic fall, and wage disparity has led to widespread distress," noted Singh in the letter.

On Agniveer scheme:

On Agniveer scheme, Singh said "BJP govt imposed Agniveer scheme; it thinks value of patriotism, service is only 4 years, shows their fake nationalism."

"Those who trained for regular recruitment were woefully betrayed by the outgoing regime. The youth of Punjab, the son of the farmer, who dreams of serving the motherland through the Armed Forces, is now thinking twice about getting recruited only for a 4-year stint. Agniveer Scheme endangers National Security. Congress party has therefore promised to abolish the Agniveer Scheme," added Singh.

Earlier. during campaigning in various parts of the country, PM Modi had accused Singh of saying that Muslims have the first right on the country's resources.Singh said people of India are seeing through all of this. "This narrative of dehumanisation has now reached its peak. It is now our duty to save our beloved nation from these forces of discord," Singh said in the letter.

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