E-Paper
Lok Sabha Speaker says Army won’t let political turmoil affect India
Birla is currently on a tour to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, as part of a parliamentary outreach programme which aims to empower Panchayati Raj institutions.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Thursday India’s Armed forces will not let political turmoil in other nations affect India, in an apparent reference to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
“We have full faith in our Armed forces that they wouldn't let political turmoil in any other country (Afghanistan) affect India,” Birla was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Birla is currently on a tour to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, as part of a parliamentary outreach programme which aims to empower Panchayati Raj institutions. The Lok Sabha Speaker said that he is visiting the region to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system and democratic institutions in the Valley. He also said that India favours democratic form of governance in all nations.
Birla’s comments come a day after Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat said terrorism spilling out of Afghanistan will be dealt in the same manner India deals with terrorism currently. Rawat said that India will also welcome any intelligence inputs that might help it contain terrorism spilling over from Afghanistan. Rawat also expressed the need of remaining alert with reference to Pakistan and China and said that both the neighbours are ‘nuclear capable’.
Birla also weighed in on the recent tension on the LAC and echoed similar concerns while blaming the border tensions on a few countries and their ‘expansionist approach’. He is scheduled to visit far-flung areas of Ladakh region including Pangong Lake and Nubra Valley. Birla will also visit Pahalgam and Srinagar to interact with the Panchayat leaders from these places.
