India has power to take action against terrorism even across border: Rajnath Singh

Mavelikkara (Kerala), Apr 18 (PTI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that India possesses the capability to counter terror activities by taking action across the border, if required.

“If anyone tries to encourage terrorist activities in India, we have the power to deal with it here and, if required, take action even on the other side of the border,” the minister said.

Singh made the statement here while criticising the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF for having sought proof of the cross-border airstrike in 2019 carried out by Indian defence forces on terror camps across the border.

Addressing a poll rally organised by the BJP-led NDA in the Mavelikkara Lok Sabha constituency, he dubbed the questions of the Congress and the Left as “anti-national in nature”, and said the people in the country are aware of that.

Senior Congress leader Kodikkunnil Suresh is the UDF candidate in Mavelikkara, where CPI’s C A Arun Kumar is contesting as the LDF candidate, and the NDA is represented by Baiju Kalashala of the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena (BJDS), BJP’s ally.

The 2019 Balakot airstrike involved Indian warplanes conducting a bombing raid on February 26, 2019, in Balakot, Pakistan.

The alleged target was a training camp belonging to the terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed.