GUWAHATI: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said some 300 mobile phones, which were found to be active by the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) at the site of the terror camp at Balakot ahead of the recent strike by the Indian Air Force (IAF), were not used by the plants and trees there.
“Ahead of the IAF strike, our NTRO had said some 300 mobile phones were active at the location of the terror camp. These were certainly not being used by the plants and trees there. Now, count how many died. You may say you don’t believe in the NTRO,” Singh said in Assam’s Dhubri taking a jibe at the opposition parties, particularly Congress, after inaugurating a project for technological surveillance of the 61 km long border which Dhubri shares with Bangladesh.
He was critical of some opposition parties which were seeking figures of the terrorists killed in the IAF strike in Balakot.
“The leaders of some political parties are asking as to how many terrorists were killed in the air strike. Today or tomorrow, the figures will be disclosed. The hearts of Pakistani leaders know how many of the terrorists were killed,” Singh said, adding, “IAF chief BS Dhanoa said the IAF had received inputs about the location of terrorists and it bombed right there. Was it necessary for the IAF personnel to go there and count how many were killed? We want to tell our Congress friends that they can go to Pakistan and get the figures from its people”.
He said every Indian should be proud of the soldiers fighting on the border. Categorically stating that the Narendra Modi government will not compromise on the issue of country’s security, he said the BJP was not worried about retaining power.
Commenting on the project he inaugurated, Singh said, “The 61-km long border has been sealed through technology. Upgradation of the surveillance system will be completed in the next two to three months”.
If someone has a problem, the government is ready to talk but if he takes up the gun to get it addressed, the government will not tolerate it, he warned. His obvious reference was to insurgent groups active in the Northeast.
The project Singh inaugurated
The project is BOLD-QIT (Border Electronically Dominated QRT Interception Technique).
India shares a 4,096 km long border with Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra enters Bangladesh via Dhubri and the place has vast char (sandbar) land and innumerable river channels. Given geographical barriers, erecting border fence is not possible at various places, which makes border-guarding an uphill task, especially during rainy season. To overcome it, the Centre had in 2017 decided to go for technological solution. In January last year, the BSF’s IT wing undertook BOLD-QIT and completed it in record time.
The BOLD-QIT is a project to install technical systems which enable the BSF to equip the border with sensors in unfenced riverine area. The entire span of the Brahmaputra has been now covered with data network generated by microwave communication, OFC cables, DMR communication, day and night surveillance cameras and intrusion detection system. These modern gadgets will provide feeds to BSF control rooms on the border and enable BSF’s quick reaction teams to thwart any possible infiltration or crimes.