LUCKNOW: Defence minister Manohar Parikar today admitted that cease fire on the international border was still going on though it was on decline on the actual line of control. ” We have initiated several steps and methods including pro-active steps along with diplomatic pressure and the results would come in the next six months time,” he said. The minister also announced that his ministry has decided not to pursue any case related to the ex-servicemen or of the disabled soldiers. He also announced that to avoid rush at the employment rally of the army and engagement of middleman, defence ministry would seek the youths to register online where they will be selected through some process.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr Parikar, who is the Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, has refused any talk with Pakistan at this juncture when they are violating the ceasefire. ” We have started getting results of our efforts at the international border and this year,we have gunned down infiltrators who can also be termed as terrorists 70 per cent more than the last year,” he claimed while adding that Indian soldiers have started replying to Pakistan at the international border.
Though the defence minister refused to reply on most of the questions related to the international matters, he said ,” just wait till the summer season, you will get results.” When asked about the Chinese continuing intrusion, he said a solution is required about the existing problem and talks were going on.
Clarifying his stand on the terrorists who blasted themselves near Gujarat during at the time of New Year, the defence minister said,”I have never said that the terrorist consumed poison.” ” I only mentioned that terrorists always keep cyanide with them and it is possible that they have swallowed it,” he stated. Mr Parikar, the former Goa chief minister, said that to avert any incident during the employment rally of the army, the defence minister would adopt an on-line registration system very soon. Trial of this on-line system would be done later this month. ” We will register the youths and on their eligibility we will call them in a phase manner,” he said. He also announced that Army would hold an employment rally at Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, very soon for which the UP government has also agreed.
The defence minister also said that his ministry has now decided not to purse any case of ex-servicemen or disabled soldiers.” We don’t want to harass them and thus this decision was taken though it will take some time to implement,” he stated.
The minister also said that no middleman or commission agent would be allowed in the defence purchase.” Only those persons could be engaged to do not get commission or bonus in the purchase,” he said while adding that the defence ministry is appointing technical advisor to suggest ways to purchase the defence items.
He said that there is already provision in the law to have agents who can engage themselves in purchases at normal expense without any commission or bonus.” We will just spell these rules that are not permitted,” he said.
Talking about the problems of the cantonment boards, he said that several issues have been addressed and the problems related to road blockade has been solved by directing that illegal blockade should be lifted immediately. He said that there are several other issues like mutation, clearance of map and other things before the cantonment board which will be addressed very soon.
Earlier in the day, Mr Parikar also visited the Central Command headquarters here and inspected some of their installations. (AGENCIES)
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