Every state a border state : Swami
01 October 2002 21:15 IST “With India fighting a proxy war with Pakistan, every state has become a border state today and anything can happen any time”, cautioned union minister of state for home I D Swami.
Addressing a press conference here before attending the Crush Terrorism Day organised by the Goa unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the minister in-charge of internal security also claimed that terrorist activities have reduced since the time prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has taken over.
However, he admitted that it is a utopia that terrorist attacks will stop as a result of India’s successful efforts to win the proxy war. Though suicide squads are still attacking different parts of the country, Swami felt that large turnout at J&K elections is a clear-cut reflection of India’s victory over cross-border terrorism.
Reacting to Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s threat to withdraw from the NDA if the terrorist attacks are not tackled by following a different strategy, Swami denied that more concerted efforts and a different strategy is required to tackle the problem.
“Mr Thackeray is free to have his own opinion, but our government is following a pro-active policy to counter Pak-sponsored terrorism and fight the proxy war”, said the bureaucrat-turned politician.
He also reiterated that India has a will power and strength to fight terrorism and is not dependent upon foreign powers like the USA or the western block. He however claimed that we succeeded enough to create an environment in favour of India among the international community on the issue.
Dismissing the possibility of direct war between two countries any more, Swami said the UNO would not allow any war in future while nuclear power has also become a deterrent to have actual war.
“These are the days of either having a proxy war or an economic war”, he said, stating that India is already facing such a proxy war. He also expressed confidence that India will be victorious by winning the war against Pakistan.
