Terrorism in J&K due to mishandling by Nehru: MoS Jitendra Singh

New Delhi: Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is a cumulative effect of a series of misdoings in last 60 years beginning from the mishandling by former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Union minister Jitendra Singh said in New Delhi on Saturday.

He said the recent surgical strike inside Pakistan territory is one of the examples of the decisive steps taken by the NDA government against terrorism sponsored by the neighbouring country.

"If only Nehru had allowed the then Home Minister, Sardar Patel to handle Jammu and Kashmir instead of himself intruding into Home Ministry's domain, history of Indian sub-continent would have been different," Singh said at a round-table conference on "Countering Pakistan State Terror" organised by Global Counter Terrorism Council (GCTC).

He said the Narendra Modi-government has taken decisive steps against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and the two recent examples are the decision of remonetisation (referring to demonetisation of old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes) "which has drastically reduced terror-related transactions, preceded by the decision of surgical strike inside Pakistan territory".

The Minister said Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the context of Jammu and Kashmir is a cumulative effect of a series of misdoings of the past six decades beginning from the mishandling by the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, an official release said.

"When the Modi government took over on May 26, 2014," Singh said, it bequeathed a huge baggage of cumulative liabilities from the past.

There was a feeling of pessimism and hopelessness all over the country, but within two years, he said, not only the common man in India is feeling proud to be an Indian, but the

Indians settled abroad are also looking for an opportunity to return to their motherland.

"This itself is a vindication of the kind of redemption which the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has succeeded in bringing about in just two-and-a-half years," said Singh, Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office.

As per reports, following remonetisation, there is a 60 per cent dip?in terror-related activities and 50 per cent reduction in terror-related Hawala transactions being funded by Pakistan, he said.

"Not only this, at least two printing press units in Pakistan which were printing Indian fake currency and pumping into India have been compelled to shut down because there are no takers for that brand currency," the Minister said.

Similarly, the incidents of stone-pelting have also gone down drastically, he said.

Singh said, decisions like surgical strike and remonetisation have hit the "Achilles' heel" of Pakistan and these are some of the decisive steps which no government in the past dared to take.

Referring to the Modi government's stand on Balochistan, he said, for the first time, the Indian forces have had the opportunity to give befitting retaliatory response to every act of mischief from Pakistan.

Singh reiterated that the Modi government follows a policy of zero tolerance to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and will never compromise with the honour and dignity of the security forces of India or the sovereignty of the republic of India.

Among the panelists were analyst Sushil Pandita, former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal, retired Vice-Chief of Army Staff Gen Phillip Campose, Imam Illiyasi and well known activist Tarek Fatah.