Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Sunday the Narendra Modi government has broken the backbone of terrorists as he asserted that the "cowardly" Pulwama terror attack will be avenged.
"National security is most important and there cannot be any compromise on this. Neither can there be any soft posturing. The cowardly act will be avenged," Naqvi told reporters here, referring to the recent terror attack in Pulwama in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
"In the more than four-and-half years of the Modi government, the backbone of terrorists have been dismantled. Since the formation of BJP government at the Centre, barring some places in Kashmir, there have been no terror attack," the Union minister said.
Citing Sankat Mochan temple (Varanasi), Mecca Masjid (Hyderbad) and Lucknow, he claimed that earlier there were no places where terror attack had not taken place.
"But, during the tenure of the Modi government, the terrorists have not been able to strike," he said.
The minister said the Pulwama terror attack that took place last Thursday is "unforgivable" and those responsible for the strike will not be spared.
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"The Prime Minister has already made his intentions clear in very strong words. We are not going to compromise with those responsible for the terror attack, those who give them patronage or those who sponsor them. They will not be spared," Naqvi said.
He referred to the government actions in the aftermath of the deadly terror strike.
"The Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status accorded to Pakistan (by India) has been withdrawn. The process of reining in separatist forces, who sing praises of Pakistan, while staying in India, has also started," Naqvi said.
The security cover of six separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was withdrawn Sunday.
To a question whether the Lok Sabha elections would be postponed in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, the Union minister said the poll process and the terror strike are separate issues.
Reacting to controversial statements made by Congress leaders Navjot Singh Siddhu and another leader Noor Bano, vis-a-vis the Pulwama terror attack, Naqvi said, "The Congress must rein in its leaders. In this party (Congress), a competition on giving (controversial) statements is going on."
On "non-fulfilment" of promises made by the BJP regarding Article 370 and Ram temple in Ayodhya, Naqvi said, "These have been our sankalp (commitment). In the more than four-and-half years of the Modi government, we have given a government of Iqbal (faith), Imaan (honesty) and Insaaf (justice)."