Chief of General Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, met the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the latter’s residence on Sunday to update him about the decisions taken up by the armed forces following the Pakistan sponsored terror attack in Pahalgam.
The meeting came a day after the Pakistan Army Chief again raked up the issue of Hindus and Muslims being “two separate nations” amidst the heightened tensions between the two countries.
Days before the Pahalgam terror attack carried out by the Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, leaving 26 tourists dead, Munir had given a provocative statement while addressing a Convention for Overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad. Speaking about Kashmir, the General said, “Our stance is very clear, it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, and we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle.”
Former generals of the Indian Army had categorically stated that the Pahalgam attack targeting the Hindus is certainly in response to the provocative statement. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, deadliest since Pulwana strike, a massive search operation has been launched in Kashmir, by the security forces.
On Friday, Army Chief Upender Dwivedi visited Srinagar where he reviewed the security situation following the deadly massacre of 26 tourists in Pahalgam. The terror attack was carried out by the Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had assured of a ‘loud and clear response’. Singh while calling the attack a ‘cowardly act’ extended condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones. “I want to repeat India’s resolve against terrorism. We have a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism. I want to assure the countrymen that the government will take every necessary step. We will not only reach the perpetrators of this act but also the actors behind the scenes. The accused will soon see a loud and clear response, I want to assure the country,” he had said.
The defence minister had also held a key meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Navy chief Dinesh Tripathi.
As reported earlier, the TRF came into existence in October 2019, months after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and abrogation of Article 370. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs TRF is a front of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and has been banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2023.