Defence Minister Rajnath Singh: 'Pakistan has made terrorism its state policy'

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday once again called out Pakistan and once again stated that Pakistan has made terrorism its 'state policy' and is not 'mending its ways'.

The Defence Minister was attending the 142nd passing out parade of Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun.
Rajnath Singh also addressed the passing out cadets in Dehradun and said, "Pakistan has made terrorism its state policy. They have fought four wars and lost all of them but they are a strange neighbour and not mending its ways. So, you (cadets who are passing out) have to prepare yourself to face terrorism."

Adding further he stated, "When you were walking in front of my eyes with your measured and padded steps, I was seeing a picture of a safe and golden India in you. Your ability to walk step by step and shoulder to shoulder helps in achieving any major goal. This ability makes our army and armed forces strong."

READ | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visits Indian military academy in Dehradun

'Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy against terrorism'- Rajnath Singh

During his address, he also spoke about how the Central government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy against terrorism, which has given a positive outcome.

"The entire world knows that if the mastermind of 9/11 and terrorist organization Al Qaeda was found somewhere, it was found in Pakistan. The whole world also knows that the people of Lashkar-e-Toiba, who carried out 26/11 attacks, are sitting there in Pakistan," said Singh.

"Despite this, there is a need to be vigilant always about the threat of terrorism because in Pakistan, along with the terrorism state policy, there exist non-state actors who are extremely powerful that their role in Pakistan's theatre is nothing more than that of puppets," he added.  

While in Dehradun, Rajnath also asserted that all those who died in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and their families will receive justice on the day when people who were responsible behind the attack will be brought to an end.

"The 166 people who died in the 26/11 attack and their families will get justice on the day when those who carried out the attack will be brought to their final conclusion," said Singh.  

READ | Rajnath:'Need to be alert against Pak which pursues terrorism as a matter of state policy'

The Defence Minister also spoke about how the government has perceptional differences with its neighbour China regarding the border as the clear demarcation of the border has been pending for a long time now. Therefore, the Indian Army will always have to act with valor as well as discretion on the Northern Front and North-Eastern Front. 

"The Indian Army has proved this many times in the last few years, when required it worked with discretion and did confrontation avoidance and when a different situation was created in Doklam, the Army showed strong will power," said Singh. The Union Defence Minister arrived on Friday at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. The passing out parade is being organized on the occasion of Armed Forces Flag Day. 

READ | Dehradun: Rajnath Singh visits IMA, says India's stature has risen globally

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(With inputs from ANI)