Minister for Labour Santosh Lad speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram
Minister for Labour Santosh Lad said he personally favours India entering Pakistan to punish the perpetrators behind the horrific killing of tourists in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir recently.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Wednesday, Mr. Lad said he had shared his personal opinion with Union Home Minister Amit Shah when he met him recently. The perpetrators of the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam should not be spared at any cost, he said.
Mr. Lad, who had been deputed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to bring back the tourists from Karnataka stranded in Kashmir following the attack on tourists in Pahalgam, recalled the action taken by India on these lines in the 1971 war with Pakistan during the tenure of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and said a record number of people were taken prisoners by India during the war.
However, Mr. Lad said he will stand by the whatever decision Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India will take in this regard. He also pointed out that a resolution had been passed at an all-party meeting convened by the Centre recently to show solidarity with decisions of Union government.
Replying to a question, Mr. Lad condemned the shouting of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans. With regard to the reported shouting of slogans in favour of Pakistan in Mangaluru recently, Mr. Lad said action will be taken against whoever indulges in such activity.
Pointing out that nobody will justify the shouting of slogans in favour of Pakistan and action will be taken against anybody indulging in the same, he added that there was also a need to look at the atrocities perpetrated upon Muslims in the country.
He advised the media to be sensitive while reporting such incidents. Mr. Lad regretted that the situation in the country had taken a turn for the worse and said there were a lot of reasons for this.
Published – April 30, 2025 08:46 pm IST