During his speech in the Rajya Sabha today, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai emphatically stated that the Narendra Modi-led Central government maintains an unwavering stance against terrorism. Rai made it clear that terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir will either be apprehended and imprisoned or meet their end. He conveyed this strong message in response to a supplementary question posed by Congress MP Pramod Tiwari. The minister reiterated that the Modi administration has zero tolerance for terrorism and is committed to eradicating the recent surge in terrorist activities.
This statement was made against the backdrop of a recent increase in terror attacks, particularly in the Jammu region of the Union Territory. Minister Rai confidently assured the House that the terrorists' efforts would be thwarted. He provided statistics, revealing that in recent days, 28 terrorists had been killed in Jammu and Kashmir, with some security personnel also sacrificing their lives in the line of duty.
Furthermore, Rai highlighted the significant progress made since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, noting that security forces had eliminated approximately 900 terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir since then. He reaffirmed the government's firm stance, stating, "The Modi government has zero tolerance for terrorism. We will put an end to terrorism. Terrorists will either end up in jail or in jahannum (hell)... I want to assure the House."
Rai also contrasted the current government's performance with that of the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, which was in power from 2004 to 2014. During the UPA's tenure, there were 7,217 incidents of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Since the BJP assumed power in 2014, this number has significantly decreased to 2,259 incidents up to July 21 of this year. The minister stressed that these incidents should not have occurred and criticized the Opposition for politicizing the issue.
He further informed the House that between 2004 and 2014, 2,829 citizens and security personnel lost their lives due to terrorism. Since 2014, this number has dropped by 67 percent, along with a 69 percent reduction in terror incidents. Minister Rai concluded by assuring that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are now living in a more peaceful environment with full security guaranteed by the government.
