CM urges Centre to ensure appropriate precautions are taken instead

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday sought to underscore the futility of giving a “befitting reply” in the wake of the recent Pulwama terror attack and instead urged the Centre to ensure that appropriate precautionary measures were taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

Innocent lives that have been lost in such terror incidents cannot be brought back by giving any sort of befitting reply, he said.

Mr. Kumaraswamy, who arrived in Mysuru on Monday to participate in the Kumbh Mela at T. Narsipur, was replying to reporters’ queries on calls for giving the perpetrators of the Pulwama terror strike, which claimed the lives of 44 CRPF soldiers, a “befitting reply.”

Though he welcomed the reports of gunning down of the alleged mastermind of the Pulwama attack, Mr. Kumaraswamy said it was not possible to overcome the hurt and pain caused by the death of the soldiers. He said the Centre should focus more on ensuring peace in parts of the country that have been troubled by terrorism.

When asked about calls for declaring Pakistan a terrorist nation, Mr. Kumaraswamy said India should first rid terrorist activities within our own borders. “It is our duty to draw curtains on the menace of terrorism either through guns or dialogue,” he said before adding that declaring Pakistan as a terrorist nation was not in India’s hands. “India can only recommend this,” he said.

He urged the Centre to bring to a halt terrorist activities that orphan the families of the soldiers.

With regard to the Auradkar Committee report, Mr. Kumaraswamy said he had directed senior officials to hold consultations and give him a report in the wake of confusion that had arisen among the police officers.

“I am for implementing the report and meeting the expectations of the police officials and staff. It will be implemented as soon as the report is submitted,” he assured. He said the discussion on sharing of seats for the Lok Sabha elections will be held between the leaders of the two parties.