Tokyo [Japan], May 23 : BJP MP Brij Lal expressed happiness that the people of Japan have supported India's fight against terrorism and called the meetings with Japanese officials "good." He said that India has been suffering due to terrorism for nearly four decades and did not react till 2016.
Brij Lal, who is part of the JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha-led delegation, which is on a visit to Japan and other East Asian nations, mentioned how India has retaliated against terrorists after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office. He recalled the airstrikes conducted in Balakot and the surgical strike carried out in 2016.
He stated that the world appreciates India's stance against terrorism and knows that India is a peaceful nation. He asserted that India will destroy terrorist bases and their sponsors if it is attacked.
On all-party delegation's meeting Japanese Foreign Minister and think tanks, he said, "The meeting was very good. We were happy that the people of Japan have supported India's fight against terrorism. India has been suffering for nearly four decades and you must remember, we did not react till 2016. I was serving as Additional Director General in the UP when the 2008 26/11 occured, where 170 people were killed. Among them were, two IPS officers, Hemant Karkare IGN, Ashok Kamte DIG. It went on for three days, Kasab was caught and nine were killed, total evidence."
"After that, when PM Modi came in 2014, we launched a surgical strike in 2016 when they attacked us. We were thinking that Pakistan would understand now. In 2019, they again carried out attacks and we conducted an airstrike in Balakot. After 2019, we were thinking that Pakistan might understand. In the April 22 attack, they killed people after asking about their religion. A lady asked them to kill her too, her husband was killed, so they said go and give a message to the Prime Minister. After that, we carried out a precise attack and by carrying out precise attack, we did not kill civilians, we only destroyed their terrorist infrastructure. After that we know that Pakistan would retaliate. They attacked, and after that, we destroyed their bases. We are telling this to the entire world; the world is understanding that we did not escalate... Today, the entire world is understanding... They are appreciating our stand and that we are a peaceful country, but if we are attacked, then this is the new India, Modi's India, and we will destroy the terrorist bases and their sponsors if we are attacked," he added.
An All-Party Parliamentary delegation from India, led by Sanjay Kumar Jha, Member of Parliament, is on a visit to Japan from May 22 to 24. On Thursday, the delegation met Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya.
The delegation also met former Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga and current Vice President of the Liberal Democratic Party and Chairman of the Japan-India Association, as well as Takashi Endo, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security.
Both leaders affirmed Japan's continued support for India's efforts against terrorism, the official statement added. The Indian delegation also held an interaction with leading Japanese think tanks, briefing participants on India's zero tolerance policy on terrorism. Participants expressed strong support for India's counterterrorism stance during the discussions.
The all-party delegation projects India's national consensus and resolute approach to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will convey to the world the country's strong message of zero tolerance for terrorism.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.
After the attack, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which India launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centres and airfields across airbases in Pakistan. After this, on May 10, an understanding of the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was announced.