India should seriously consider a "limited war with Pakistan" as the time had come to teach the neighbouring country a lesson, former Jammu and Kashmir minister and BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh said here today.
Singh's outburst came in the wake of killing of four BSF personnel, including an officer, in firing by Pakistani Rangers in the Ramgarh sector in Samba district.
"Time has come to make the cost of military engagement of any kind with India unaffordable for Pakistan and for that a limited war with Pakistan, which several military strategists have recommended, should be seriously considered and that too at the earliest," Singh said.
Paying homage to the four BSF personnel, Singh said he would be failing in his national duty if he did not speak-up against the naked aggression of Pakistan, which is a "failed" as well as a "terrorist" state.
"We are losing jawans on almost every second day to the bullets of the enemies and we are talking about ceasefire. And there are demands for engaging Pakistan for a sustained dialogue, he said addressing a rally.
Singh said that blinded by political ambition, regional political parties of Jammu and Kashmir, instead of seeking tough action against Pakistan, were pleading for a dialogue with it.
"They have become vociferous advocates of Pakistan, Pakistan-based terror outfits, ISI and Pakistan Army. They have doubled their efforts to prevent the central government from taking an aggressive stance against Pakistan. But, I firmly believe, time has come to teach Pakistan a lesson which would not let it fire even a single bullet from across the international border or Line of Control (LoC), said Singh.
Singh, who led the campaign demanding CBI probe in Kathua rape and murder case by undertaking over 40 rallies in Jammu region, said I do not understand why leaders of regional parties have a special place for Pakistan in their hearts and minds?"
He said they were not worried about issues concerning their constituencies and their focus was on how the Centre has to be stopped from going all out against Pakistan.
Thousands of border dwellers are worried about their future and are demanding a permanent solution to the repeated violations of ceasefire on the international border, he said.
"What the state government is offering them is not a permanent solution but continuity of the status-quo. Killings will go on and we would be doing nothing but offering condolences and paying homage," he added.
This will not continue for long and people are losing patience and time will soon come, when they will be on the roads demanding permanent stoppage of the bullets and mortars from Pakistan, Singh said.
New Delhi should stop listening to Kashmir-based politicians, the senior BJP leader said.
Regarding the preparations for a Maha Swabhiman Rally, Singh said no one should think there is any fatigue factor among the Dogras seeking CBI probe in Kathua case. At 45 degrees Celsius, we are on the roads demanding that the state should recommend CBI probe in the case".
He said the people were confident that the 8-year-old victim would get justice only after a CBI probe.
All Jammu-based leaders should keep in mind that no developmental package would be able to wash the sin of them having remained silent when the whole region was demanding a CBI probe, he said.
Don't forget, you are MLAs and MLCs because of the people of Jammu region. Your silence is being seen as collusion with those who are anti-Jammu and who are against CBI probe in case. And it seems that none has told you that we all have to return to our people within next 6 months for Lok Sabha elections," he said.
He asked Jammu-based leaders to "stand with the people of Jammu region and stop being spokesmen of the anti-Jammu forces..
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