Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday said that his Cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhu's decision to go to Pakistan for the ground-breaking ceremony of Kartarpur corridor was "his way of thinking" but he personally could not think of going there while Indian soldiers and civilians were being killed by them.
"As an army man, he could not tolerate the killing of innocent Indians," the Chief Minister said, pointing out that even today an Indian army personnel was killed by Pakistani snipers. He could not go to the neighbouring country in these circumstances, he said, in an informal chat with media persons after laying the foundation stone for Kartarpur corridor.
As for the Central government's decision to send its ministers to the Pak ceremony, the Chief Minister said it was for them to do as they deem fit but he personally felt thought should have been more sensitive to the feelings of Indian soldiers and citizens. "The Centre cannot close its eyes to what is happening in India as a result of Pakistan's policy and support to terrorist groups," Chief Minister was quoted as having said in an official statement.
The Chief Minister said the world knows about Pakistan's role in perpetrating terrorism in India, as manifest in the attacks in Pathankot, Mumbai, Dinanagar and, of course, Jammu & Kashmir. The Central Government if also fully aware of this, he added, reiterating his stand that till the cycle of violence unleashed by Pakistan against India came to a stop, he would not travel to that country.
Chief Minister Singh also vowed to protect his state and its people from the terror unleashed from across the border till the last drop of his blood, warning Pakistan of serious consequences if it did not put a stop to the violence perpetrated against India.
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Even as he thanked Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan for reciprocating India's move on developing the Kartarpur Corridor, the Chief Minister was scathing in his criticism of Pak Army Chief General Bajwa for promoting state-sponsored terror through brutal killings of Indian soldiers and innocent citizens.
He urged the Pak Prime Minister to rein in his army and bring an immediate end to terror against Indian armed forces and citizens, or else be ready to face a strong reaction from India, which has a bigger army than the neighbouring country.
Taking a strong stand on the issue of terror, which was immediately endorsed and backed by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, the Chief Minister said that India was a land of peace and did not want violence, but was prepared to counter Pakistan's aggression in kind if its peace and sovereignty continued to be threatened.
Captain Amarinder recalled the 26/11 Mumbai attacks as a grim reminder of Pak-sponsored terrorism in India. He further pointed out that the Dinanagar and Pathankot attacks in Gurdaspur district also stood out as major examples of the terror unleashed by Pakistan in this part of Punjab.
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