Rajnath says more surgical strikes can't be ruled out

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday made it clear that it cannot guarantee that surgical strikes won’t happen in future as any such action will depend on the situation prevailing at that time.

"Pakistan is our neighbouring country. If they correct themselves it will be good, but if some terror attack takes place, we cannot guarantee that there won't be surgical strike in future. We don't want, but if situation demands, there is no second way," Singh said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken this well thought-after decision in which all sat down together to explore the option.

In an interview to CNN-News18, Singh said there were inputs that after carrying out terror strikes in Kashmir, terrorists return to the launching pads on the Line of Control.

Our soldiers went across the Line of Control and hit those launching pads and cause significant damages, the home minister said.

He also dismissed as 'a mere eye wash' the house arrest of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba chief Hafiz Saeed, saying if Pakistan was serious about acting against Saeed and terrorists, it must take legal action against them.

"Hafiz Saeed has been put under house arrest earlier also. After 26/11 he was put under house arrest. My input is, this is his second house arrest but I feel this is just an eye wash. If Pakistan is serious about acting against Saeed and terrorists, it must take legal action against them," he said.

He said there is a first information report registered against him and Indian government has submitted dossiers against him.

"He must be charge-sheeted and put behind bars. Our efforts are continuing. Action must happen against such terrorists. The PM has tried to bring together international community against terrorists," he said.

Singh refused to comment on recent the United States government's travel ban on the citizens of seven countries--Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen--for 90 days saying it was a decision of sovereign nation.

On the question of India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, Singh said, “I am confident that Dawood will be brought back to India. Our efforts are continuing. We have told Pakistan where he is hiding. It is a matter of time that we will be able to bring him back sometime in future.”

Singh said that ‘it is our efforts that hostilities should not increase with Pakistan as it is our neighbour but Pakistan will also have to think about making relations better’.

“We made efforts but did not get adequate response,” the home minister said.

Singh said India has no role in Balochistan but only gives its reaction whenever there are human rights issues.

“Pakistan will have to think that it was formed on religious lines but failed to keep cultural identities but India does not have any such issue,” Singh said.

The home minister said, “We want to keep Kashmir with us but not by creating fear in their hearts and we keep making efforts like the prime minister visited Kashmir when there was recent flood.”

“We do not worry about how a sovereign country keeps its relations with others. Our relations with China are good. Our relations will continue to keep getting better. We are not disappointed. Our efforts are continuing, we are hopeful that some time in future China will come on the same page as far as terror is considered,” he said.

On the question of on China’s decision to block the declaration of JuM Chief Masood Azhar as an international terrorist by the United Nations, he said, “May be there are some situations that they have not supported but we are hopeful that in future they will support us.”

Singh said demonetisation was a big decision and it was not taken for any political gain.

“There is dip not only in black money but also terror funding. Out efforts are that generation of black money should be stopped hence promoting digital payments,” he said.

Singh said there was no single reason behind the move and discussions were going on implications of demonetising Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes.

Asked about why is the Bharatiya Janata Party contesting Uttar Pradesh election without a chief ministerial candidate, “We have contested number of elections where we did not declare Chief Ministerial candidate and in many cases we did. We have taken conscious decision not to project a CM candidate.”

“We have many faces in UP who can be the chief minister. I am Home Minister I do not think that one should have any problem,” he said.

In a lighter tone, he said he was the home minister and it is not right that he would take all the positions.

“Had the Congress and the SP (Samajwadi Party) been confident, they would not have contested together. Mulayam Singh Yadav who promoted the SP in his life was pained at this arrangement...,” he said, adding that family feud do not give a happy feeling to anyone.

There will be no modification in the reservation policy, Singh said on the question of recent statement of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary Manmohan Vaidya. He said his statement was distorted and clarification was issued.

“Not just before elections, people should always be cautious before speaking,” he said.

On the contentious issues of alleged exodus in Kairana, cow slaughter, love jihad etc, Singh said, “Once the BJP forms government, a system will be placed that no one has to undergo exodus and if some forces, they will be dealt firmly by law.”

“The government should ensure that such a situation should not arise. Whatever happened (in Kairana), it is sad. The situation is not that bad. It has not gone out of control,” Singh said when asked about the Yogi Adityanath statement comparing Kairana to Kashmir.

Singh said that ‘Ram Mandir is not a political issue for us and the matter is sub judice before Supreme Court, the decision should be awaited’.

“Politics should not be done on communal cards by any party be it the Congress, the SP or the BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party). We will not make country great by creating hatred,” he said on polarising statements issued by politicians.

He said in 2007 he has objected to ticket proposed by election committee in which Atal Bihari Vajpayee was also supporting his ticket.

“If son of a politician wants ticket, I feel he must work for at least 10 years in the party,” he said.

Lauding the role of former Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, Singh said he was impartial.

“The Aam Aadmi Party had repeatedly challenged our decisions in courts and their contentions have been rejected. If the Delhi government had wanted us to do something which is outside Constitutional arrangement, how can it be done,” he said.