NEW DELHI:overnment today asserted that the Gurdaspur attack had Pakistan connection, saying there is “overwhelmingly conclusive” evidence that the three terrorists had infiltrated from there to carry out the strike.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who made a statement in Rajya Sabha on Monday’s attack amid din created by Congress members, said the terrorists had sneaked in possibly because of the “difficult terrain coupled with recent heavy rains, resulting in excess flow in the rivers and canals along the border.”
He said the government will do everything possible to prevent cross-border terrorism and “any effort by the enemies of our nation to undermine India’s territorial integrity and security or imperil the safety and security of our citizens will meet an effective and forceful response from our security forces.”
Giving details about the attack, Singh said, “preliminary analyses of GPS data indicates that the terrorists had infiltrated from Pakistan through the area near Tash in Gurdaspur district where the Ravi river enters Pakistan.”
He said, “The security forces in the border are alert but the difficult terrain coupled with recent heavy rains, resulting in excess flow in the rivers and canals along the border, could have been a factor, in this particular group sneaking into Punjab.”
Minister for Finance and Information and Broadcasting Arun Jaitley later told reporters outside Parliament that the evidence that the Gurdaspur attack had Pakistan connection is “overwhelmingly conclusive” but refused to say whether dialogue with Pakistan was still possible after this.
“…The evidence that it is an attack from across the border now appears to be overwhelmingly conclusive,” he said.
Asked if dialogue with Pakistan was possible in view of this, Jaitley said, “That is a view the government will take and the External Affairs Ministry will take. I would not like to comment on this. That is part of a diplomatic strategy.”
While Singh spoke in Rajya Sabha, the Congress members, carrying placards, were shouting slogans in the Well against the Prime Minister and his government over the terror attack.
The slogans included: “56 inch ki chhati hai hai (down with 56 inch chest)’ and ‘Narendra Modi hai hai (down with Narendra Modi)’ and ‘NDA government hai hai (down with NDA government).” (AGENCIES)
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