NEW DELHI: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday slammed Pakistan for funding terrorism and exhorted the international community to launch a concerted effort to isolate States that are sponsoring terrorism.
Speaking at the 33rd Raising Day of the National Security Guard at Manesar, Gurgaon, Naidu said, “I feel the time has come for the international community to launch a concerted effort to isolate States which are sponsoring terrorism. There is nothing like good terrorists and bad terrorists. Terrorism knows no religion or boundaries and nobody should be allowed to get away with acts of violence in the name of ideology.”
Naidu also appealed to the United Nations to conclude the Comprehensive Convention on Suppression of International Terrorism, the proposal for which from India is pending since 1996.
Without directly naming Pakistan, Naidu said, "Our neighbour has made a state policy to aid, abet, fund and train terrorism.”
Underscoring the need to maintain vigil to thwart terror designs, he said, “In recent years, terrorist incidents have increased world over and some of the attacks have occurred at places which never experienced such events and perhaps least expected them. Those are the key words—least expected them. That’s how terrorists thrive and try to create mayhem by surreptitiously attacking at unsuspecting places and people. Hence, eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. “
In the wake of the paradigm shift in the modus operandi of the adversaries, wherein the threat is not limited only to the border areas, but has also manifested in the hinterland, there is a need to constantly review and enhance the operational capabilities of the forces, he said.
“There is thus a dire need to constantly review, improve tactics and innovate and update strategy to always stay ahead in the game. In other words, to defeat the evil designs of terrorists both men and machines have to outsmart them,” he said.
NSG Director General SP Singh said, ”To give recognition to our training institute and pride to the trainees, we are aspiring to get the status of National Institute of Counter-Terrorism.”
The NSG is also aiming to establish a counter-terrorism think tank under the name Centre for Anti-Terrorism Studies, he added.