Talks with Pakistan only when it ends terror: Union minister Khattar
Says Govt to revive Tulbul project in J&K after IWT suspension
Srinagar: India will not engage with Pakistan till the terrorism directed against the country keeps emanating from the neighbouring nation, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference here on the completion of 11 years of the Modi government, Khattar said India has told Pakistan to end terror, and when it ends terror, then only the talks can proceed.
“Modi has maintained that talks and terror won’t go together, trade and terror won’t go together, and blood and water won’t flow together,” he said.
Asked about US President Donald Trump’s claim about playing a role in stopping the recent conflict with Pakistan, Khattar said issues between India and Pakistan have been bilateral, and the country does not accept any third-party mediation.
“This has been our stand before as well…this is a matter between India and Pakistan,” he said.
Khattar also said under Modi, internal security has strengthened, and Naxal and terrorist activities have come down.
“There were over 100 districts affected by Naxalism before, which has now been reduced to six. It will be wiped from those districts as well soon,” he added.
The minister said Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab were most affected by terror incidents, but they have been controlled to a large extent now.
“We took strong action against our neighbouring country…those who support terror will not be spared. India showed to the world its prowess during Operation Sindoor,” he said.
Khattar also appreciated the people of J&K for standing together against terror without any bias after the Pahalgam terror attack.
He also hailed the revocation of Article 370 and called the integration of J&K into mainstream India an achievement of the Modi government.
On the Congress party’s criticism of these 11 years, the BJP leader said people have a right to criticise, but the opposition party will not achieve anything from that.
The Union minister also said the government has improved the lives of the farmers and poor people and worked for women empowerment by ending ‘triple talaq’ (instant divorce) and reserving 33 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha for women.
He said the government will revive the Tulbul project on the Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir as it no longer needs Pakistan’s consent after the Centre put the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance.
The Union Minister also said India will “definitely” work on new hydro-electric projects in the wake of the suspension of the IWT with Pakistan following April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
“Before, whenever we had to undertake some work, we had to discuss that with them (Pakistan) and could not do anything without their consent.
“There was a project (Tulbul) under Wular Lake which was conceived in 1981. But, they did not give their consent and it was shelved. Now, when there is no need (for consent), we will restart the project and a DPR will be prepared soon,” Khattar said here.
He was addressing a press conference on the completion of 11 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre.
Asked if the government would start working on new hydro-electric projects following the suspension of the IWT, the Union minister said, “Yes, definitely.”
“Whatever they have to do, let them do that. We have given them a response and if they do anything again, they will get a response on the same pattern,” he said when asked about Pakistan warning of building any projects.
The Tulbul project, which envisaged constructing a 439-ft-long and 40-ft-wide barrage with a storage capacity of 0.30 million-acre-feet (MAF) below the Wular Lake near Ningli in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district to stabilise Jhelum’s water level, was abandoned midway in 1987 after strong objections from Pakistan.
