It is either jail or jahannum for terrorists: Minister

Terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir will either land in jail or be sent to jahannum (hell), Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday while asserting that the Modi government has zero tolerance for terrorism.

Rai was replying to a supplementary question from Congress MP Pramod Tiwari.

Terrorist activities witnessed recently will soon end, the minister said. "They (terrorists) will not succeed in their design," he added.

In the past few days, 28 terrorists have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir and some security personnel have also lost their lives, which is very unfortunate, Rai said.

According to the minister, security forces have killed about 900 terrorists in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

"Modi government has zero tolerance for terrorism. We will end terrorism. They (terrorists) will be either in jail or jahannum... I want to assure the House," Rai said.

Between 2004 and 2014, when the UPA was ruling at the Centre, there were 7,217 incidents of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The number came down to 2,259 from 2014, when the BJP was voted to power, and July 21 this year, Rai said.

"These should not have happened. It is unfortunate but they (opposition) should not do politics over it," the minister said.

In 2019, the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Rai told the House that 2,829 citizens and security personnel lost their lives between 2004 and 2014. This number has come down by 67 per cent since 2014. Besides, there is also reduction of 69 per cent in terror incidents.

People in Jammu and Kashmir are now living in a peaceful environment and there is full guarantee of security, he said.

In Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said the situation in the Union territory will be back to normal within a few months as inimical elements will be given a befitting response.

"Those who cannot digest (the peaceful atmosphere here), they should be (ready) for their end. People here have given a befitting response to them before also. The situation demands so. I think the situation will be back to normal again in a few months," Sinha told reporters.

The Jammu region of the Union territory has witnessed a spurt in militancy-related violence over the last few months.

The LG also welcomed the Union Budget, describing it as historic.

"I want to thank the prime minister and the finance minister for presenting a historic budget in Parliament. I think it will lay a strong foundation for a developed India and, along with that, a developed Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Farmers, youngsters, women and the poor are the main focus of the government, Sinha said.

The finance minister has given money with a free hand for the overall growth of Jammu and Kashmir, he added.