Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu; says, Pakistan has made terrorism a state policy

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said, India wants to have good relations with all its neighbours but Pakistan has made terrorism a state policy.

He was interacting with the Indian community at Paraguay.

"We want to have good relations, including with all our neighbours. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said you can change friends, but you cannot change your neighbour. Keeping that in mind we are trying our best," said Vice President Naidu.

"But one of our neighbours has made terrorism a state policy. They are aiding, funding, training terrorists. Time and again, they have been persuaded, they make public commitments, but never stop funding terrorism," he added.

The Vice President dubbed terrorism as enemy of humanity and said, "It (terrorism) has no religion. It is mad and bad. It should be eliminated from the globe. That is possible only when the entire international community comes together."

He said that India is capable of fighting with the terrorist on its own. "We do not want any kind of support to fight terror in India. We are capable. We have shown our capacity recently. When they attacked CRPF and killed 40 people, the response was given. IAF not attacked military in Pakistan, didn't harm a single citizen and precisely hit the target," said Naidu.

The Vice President also hit out at the opposition parties for questioning the outcome of air strike and said "Now the discussion is going about casualties. It is for them to count the numbers. Yesterday, Home Minister suggested that if anyone has doubts, they can visit Pakistan and inquire Pakistan government. We don't want war, but can't be a silent spectator to nonsense going on for a war."

The Vice President is on a two-day visit to the Latin American Country.

Venkaiah Naidu is accompanied by a high-level delegation consisting of the Minister of State for Tourism K.J. Alphons, Ram Kumar Kashyap, Member of Parliament and senior officials from the Government of India.

Naidu met with the President of the Republic of Paraguay, H.E. Mario Abdo Benítez, the Vice President, H.E. Hugo Velázquez, and the President of the National Congress (Senate), H.E. Silvio Ovelar.

Both sides agreed that terrorism posed a grave threat to global peace and stability, stressing that there could be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever.

-ANI