New Delhi: India is clearly not considering rushing into a situation that may get out of its control. While holding on to his promise to teach those involved in the Pahalgam terror attack a lesson that is beyond their imagination, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday, gave the armed forces “complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India’s response”.
Modi held a meeting with the three chiefs of staff and other senior officials during the day and reposed ‘complete faith and confidence in the professional abilities of the armed forces’.
According to sources, Modi said that “it is our national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism and the armed forces will take the final decision”.
The meeting at the PM’s residence was attended, among others by defence minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh and Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.
A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has also been called on Wednesday. This will be the second one after the Pahalgam massacre. The CCS comprises the Prime Minister, defence minister, Union home Minister, Union finance minister and the external affairs minister.
The last CCS meeting was held on April 23, a day after 26 persons were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack. At this meeting the government, while underlining the “the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack”, put on hold the Indus Waters Treaty, downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan by reducing the mission strength by half, expelled diplomats and top defence officials from the Pakistan High Commission, cancelled visas, and shut the Attari-Wagah border. It also withdrew its own advisors and staff from its mission in Islamabad.
Following these decisions by the CCS, Union home minister Amit Shah asked all states to ensure that no Pakistan national stays in India beyond the deadline set for leaving the country.
Modi, while addressing a public meeting in Bihar said that “India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers” and would “pursue them to the ends of the earth”. An all-party meeting saw leaders cutting across party lines to assure the government of their full support for whatever action is taken.
On Tuesday, Union home secretary Govind Mohan chaired a meeting attended by Daljit Singh Chaudhary, DG, BSF, Anupama Nilekar Chandra, ADG, Seema Sashastra Bal, Brighu Srinivasan, DG, NSG and Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera, DG, Assam Rifles.
