Bangladesh poses bigger threat than China or Pakistan: Minister

New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) Bangladesh poses a much bigger security threat to India compared to China or Pakistan, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said here on Thursday.

"It is not only China or Pakistan but Bangladesh poses an equally bigger challenge to our national security, I know it because I get to see that closely," Ahir said while inaugurating an Assocham International Homeland Security Conference-cum-Exhibition.

"Bangladesh is only a so-called friend because evidently it has caused India most harm through illegal intrusion and as such going ahead it is only the smart technologies which will help us curb this menace," an Assocham statement quoted him as saying.

The Minister also said that the government had deployed security related modern technologies and equipment to keep a check on intrusion in Jammu and Kashmir and was using the same on other fronts including Maoist areas, youth radicalization in Kerala and railway security.

On China, Ahir said: "China today is not a very close friend of ours. They have always raised problems for the country.

"And be it China, Myanmar, Bangladesh or terrorists coming into India through Pakistan, we will promote the usage of various modern technologies to curb intrusion."

Condemning former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah's remark that "PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) belongs to Pakistan", Ahir said: "It is very unfortunate be it his language or the feelings with which he has said. So I condemn it.

"It is due to the mistakes made by the previous governments that today PoK is a part of Pakistan but Kashmir along with PoK is an integral part of India," he stated.

"No one can stop us from making PoK a part of India and we will make efforts in this direction," the Minister added.

Ahir assured the industry that the government will look into their demands and suggestions.

"The industry must come up with indigenously developed smart technologies and the government will help in research and development (R&D) in this regard."

He said the government would work in tandem with private industry to deal with all homeland security related threats and challenges the country faces.