No compromise on India’s security: Rajnath

Guwahati, March 5 (IANS) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that the Modi government will not compromise on India's security and the recent Indian Air Force (IAF) air strikes in Pakistan were a testimony of its commitment to the country.

"We will not let the sacrifice of its 40 martyrs go in vain. We won't forgive anyone who tries to destabilise India. Our Prime Minister has recently said that we are going to destroy the terrorists' camps as and when necessary," Singh said addressing a rally in Assam's Dhubri district.

"Security is the top priority of our government. If there is no security, there cannot be development. Since our government came to power, there is a visible change in the country's security scenario, particularly in India's Northeast," said Singh.

"Our government is firm. We are not going to compromise on the security of the country. We are not worried if our government stays or not, the country must be secure," he said.

Attacking the Opposition for questioning the number of casualties in the IAF bombings in Balakot, Singh said: "This is not the way to do politics. They are asking our forces how many terrorist were killed in the IAF strikes. The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) has said that 300 mobile phones were active in the area when the strikes were carried out. Now count for yourself whether the users of those phones were humans, trees or plants."

"Politics should be done for nation-building and not on such issues," he added.

Singh pointed out that during the last five years, the Indian economy had grown from being the sixth largest to the ninth largest in the world.

"It will be among the top three economies of the world by 2028," he added.

He also said that the Modi government is committed to implementing in letter and spirit the Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, and that there will be no compromise on protecting the ethnic and cultural identities of the people of the Northeast.

Clause 6 of the Assam Accord envisages that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards, shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people.