All communities must join hands to fight terrorism: Jitendra Singh
Jitendra Singh on Saturday said all communities must join hands to fight the menace of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Singh, the minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, was in Doda, part of his Udhampur parliamentary constituency which was rocked by several terror incidents in over past three months, claiming the lives of 10 security personnel and a village defence guard (VDG).
Addressing a public rally before holding a general "public durbar" lasting over three hours, the union minister reaffirmed the revival of VDGs.
«The security agencies have a strategy in place to control the security situation in Doda and its adjoining areas in view of the recent incidents of terror, but such strategies are not discussed in public», he said.
Singh said the VDGs are being revived in the militancy-infested areas with an objective to empower them to fight terrorists.
«The government has also decided that if and wherever needed, VDGs will be deployed as part of the multi-pronged strategy to confront the challenge posed by terrorists,» he said.
Singh announced that weapons, including SLR rifles, may be provided to the VDGs so that they can negotiate the challenge effectively.
The minister made a fervent appeal to all communities to put up a united front against terrorism.
«Doda did not succumb to terrorism even during the 1990s when it was at its peak. As inhabitants faced the menace tooth and nail, they were successful in preventing migration of the people from here,» he said.
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