Taliban not being pushed into J&K: Govt

Government on Wednesday rubbished media reports about Taliban being diverted into Jammu and Kashmir but said efforts are being made from Pakistan to push in other terrorists with the "institutional support" of the army there.

Government on Wednesday rubbished media reports about Taliban being diverted into Jammu and Kashmir but said efforts are being made from Pakistan to push in other terrorists with the "institutional support" of the army there.

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"The reports of Taliban militants being pushed into Jammu and Kashmir are baseless. These are nothing but speculative reports," Home Minister P Chidambaram told mediapersons in Mumbai reacting to reports that Pakistan was planning to push as many as 60 "surrendered" Taliban into Jammu and Kashmir to become part of the "jihad" against India.

Asked to comment on the reports about Taliban, Defence Minister AK Antony evaded a direct reply, merely saying "By and large, they (terrorist groups) are always trying to push maximum number of people into Jammu and Kashmir."

He said all these terrorist camps are located near Pakistani army formations and if Islamabad were sincere, they can control it.

"The main thing is, even after 26/11, Pakistan is not willing to take strong action against these infiltrators," Antony told reporters here on the sidelines of the Defence Accounts Department headquarters building inauguration.

Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor said efforts are being made to push in as many terrorists before winter sets in. Asked whether the infiltrators had Pakistani army's support, he said "yes".