‘Armed forces have full freedom’: Rajnath Singh says India knows how to ensure peace

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NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said India is a peace-loving nation but is fully capable of dealing decisively with forces that threaten its security, asserting that the armed forces have been given complete freedom to act against terrorism.Addressing a gathering after unveiling a statue of Maharana Pratap, Singh said, “We are people who want peace, but we also know how to permanently silence those who spread disturbance”.The defence minister criticised previous Congress-led governments on national security, claiming that terror incidents were frequent before 2014 and that political leaders had adopted a soft approach towards terrorism.“Today, our armed forces have full freedom. If there is a terror attack, the terrorists must be eliminated. If crossing the border is necessary to eliminate them, that should also be done,” he said, according to news agency PTI.

Singh also referred to recent terror attacks and India’s response. He said the government had empowered the armed forces to take action wherever necessary.Referring to the Pulwama and Pahalgam attacks, he said India’s military leadership had expressed readiness to launch operations against Pakistan-backed terrorism when asked by the government.Singh also reiterated the Centre’s tough stance towards Pakistan, referring to the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and warning that India would not allow its resources to benefit a country that supports terrorism.

Paying tribute to Maharana Pratap, Singh described the 16th-century Mewar ruler as a symbol of courage, self-respect and national pride.“Maharana Pratap’s valour and courage were never dependent on any government or historian. Akbar is gone, the Mughals are gone and even their descendants have faded into history. But Maharana Pratap continues to live in the hearts of every Indian,” he said.He added that Maharana Pratap’s life demonstrated that nothing is more important than the dignity of the nation and its people.Singh also linked the ruler’s values to the Modi government’s governance philosophy, saying the BJP follows the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas” and believes in equality and justice for all citizens.

The defence minister highlighted India’s economic progress, saying the country is currently the world’s fastest-growing major economy and an increasingly important manufacturing destination.“iPhones are being manufactured in India and supplied across the world. The India that was disappointed and discouraged before 2014 is now full of hope, energy, confidence and determination,” he said.Singh credited the transformation to public trust and government policies, while also pointing to growth in manufacturing, semiconductor production and infrastructure development.He said Uttar Pradesh has emerged as India’s leading mobile phone manufacturing hub, with more than half of all phones produced in the country being manufactured in the state.Highlighting what he described as key achievements of the BJP-led government, Singh referred to the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.“We had promised to remove Article 370 and we did it. We had promised that a grand Ram temple would be built and it has been built in Ayodhya,” he said.The minister also spoke about India’s growing international stature, noting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received the highest civilian honours from 32 countries.“This honour is not only for Modiji, but for 140 crore Indians,” Singh said.He added that the government’s guiding principle remained public trust and national interest, saying, “Power may come and go, but public trust must never be broken. For us, national interest is above politics.”