Indian minister brags about ‘covert op’

Says New Delhi sees options to neutralise ‘Pakistan-based terrorists’

Indian minister of state for information and broadcasting said that the government will explore every possible means, including carrying out a covert or a special operation, to neutralise ‘Pakistan-based terrorists’ Dawood Ibrahim or Hafiz Saeed.

“It is possible that an operation is launched. But it will not be talked about before it is launched. It might be talked about later,” Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore bragged on Sunday on a TV talk show when asked: why was a military operation not carried out against Dawood Ibrahim as was done in the case of Myanmar-based insurgents who had struck in Manipur.

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“This depends on whether the government decides to carry out a covert operation or a special operation,” the state minister was cited by The Indian Express.

He said that New Delhi has not just prepared a dossier [for Pakistan] but is ready to use other options as well, adding that every possible option will be used. “We will give the dossier also, and other means will also be utilised.”

Rathore went on to say that India’s enemies, wherever they are based, must never be under the delusion that India is not thinking about them. “We are always ready to neutralise our enemies.”

It is possible, he further said, that a covert operation never gets discussed. “Special operation can be discussed but not before it is launched. May be it is happening right now. May be not. But discussion can only happen after the operation.”

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Changing his stance, the minister maintained that the government still believes dialogue is the best way to find a way forward with Pakistan, but in the same breath insisted that a dialogue, in current circumstances, can only happen on ending terror.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th,  2015.