Fatehgarh Sahib, June 26
In a clear reference to Pakistan, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said the neighbouring country was trying to destabilise India even as he announced that a committee would be sent to Pampore to look into any lapses in the handling of the terror attack that left eight CRPF personnel dead.
Showering praise on security men for successfully eliminating two terrorists involved in Saturday's attack, he said, “I have asked the Home Secretary to send a two-member committee to Pampore to look into any lapses so that we can correct it in the future and our jawans do not face martyrdom in such incidents.
“I want to praise the bravery of our security men. I salute their courage. Terrorists attacked them (security men) deceitfully. But our security men killed those two terrorists,” he said addressing a function to mark the 300th martyrdom anniversary of legendary Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur here.
The Home Minister said Indian youth should stand up to face forces which wanted to destabilise the country. “An attempt is being made by these terrorists and our neighbouring country to destabilise India. I call upon Indian youth to stand up to face such forces and we should greet and welcome the bravery of our security people and the way they are working with such valour and courage,” said Singh without naming any country.
The Home Minister said, “India cannot forget those security men who got martyred. They are not with us now and we pay our tributes to them.”
In the deadliest attack on security forces in recent years, eight CRPF personnel were killed and 21 others critically wounded on Saturday when terrorists rained bullets on a bus carrying them at Pampore in Kashmir.
The minister stressed that the country needed brave and courageous people to face the current challenge.
“But this period is going on and we need brave people in this time like Banda Singh Bahadur who were ready to lay down their lives for the country and society. Such people can protect the nation,” he said.
He noted that people should take inspiration from people like Banda Singh Bahadur. “Today our country is facing many challenges and to win over these challenges, we can take inspiration from life of people like Banda Singh Bahadur,” he said.
The Union Home Minister also assured the people that the Centre would deliver justice to the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. “Whenever I come to Punjab, I recall the 1984 riots. The burden of the riots is still being felt,” he said.
“But I want to assure you that being the Home Minister of the country, we have initiated effective action (in this regard),” the minister said.
Singh said that after coming to power, the Modi-led government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the 1984 riots. “After we formed the government, we constituted an SIT and I told the SIT that if the (1984) victims and their families were not satisfied with the investigation and if they felt that the way the investigations should have been held was not carried out, all such matters should be looked into,” said Singh.
The Home Minister said the SIT had recommended re-investigation into 22 such cases pertaining to the 1984 riots. “Several cases are being reviewed. There are 286 such cases. Many cases have been reviewed. But the SIT has so far recommended re-investigation into 22 such cases,” he said.
“I want to assure you that you will get justice,” asserted the Home Minister.
