Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Thursday said surgical strikes should be conducted against Pakistan to teach it a lesson as he accused the neighbouring country of pushing drugs into the Indian territory.
Purohit also commended the Punjab government over its many drug seizures and tackling drones that are being used to send narcotics from across the border. The governor was on a two-day visit to the border districts of the state.
He said the next generation must be stopped from becoming addicts at any cost and added that if Pakistan is playing mischief with India, “one or two surgical strikes should be conducted against it”. Purohit expressed satisfaction over the coordination among central agencies, such as the Border Security Force (BSF), Army and Intelligence Bureau, and the Punjab Police. The governor came down heavily on Pakistan for launching a “hidden war” against India, saying it is doing so as it could not engage in a direct fight against the country.
He also expressed concern over the use of drones by Pakistan for pushing drugs and weapons into India and laid an emphasis on effectively countering the same. “Pakistan has started a hidden war (against India),” Purohit said while expressing concern over a large number of drones being sent by the neighbouring country to smuggle drugs. He said he was “101 per cent confident” that the use of drones would not be possible without the involvement of the Pakistani government or its army. “They have their involvement in it and they want to destabilise us,” he said. Purohit also accused the Pakistani establishment of trying to “make our next generation drug addicts”, adding that he had received complaints that drugs had reached schools and students were becoming addicts and stealing money from home to support their addiction.
“Come what may, it (drugs) has to be stopped,” the governor asserted. “Till now, India has not retaliated. I am not the authority, but it comes to mind that Pakistan is playing mischief with us. One or two surgical strikes should be conducted against it. It should be taught a lesson to set it right. Something must be done,” Purohit said. India conducted surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) on 29 September 2016 as a response to a terror attack on an Army base in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri sector. “As a government, on this issue, it [AAP] is making an effort that is commendable. The entire team is working with dedication.
DCs (deputy commissioners) and SSPs (senior superintendents of police) are working with full dedication,” he said. “Overall, after pursuing a lot of things, I must appreciate the state government and its officers,” the governor added.
Purohit also emphasised that village defence committees are being formed in all the six border districts and they would be operational within a 10-kilometre area with the help of the state police. He said the committees will work on a war footing to stop drug smuggling from Pakistan.
The governor announced that in next year’s Republic Day celebrations, three members each from the village defence committees of the six border districts would be given cash
rewards.
