Pune: Taking a strong exception to anti-national slogans raised at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) earlier this year, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has said that ‘if such an event does not shake the conscience of the society then it is a problem’.
Speaking at the launch of Youth4Development (Y4D) in Pune here on Tuesday, Doval said that there has been no large scale radicalisation in the country. He, however, admitted that there might be a few individuals who might be radical, but their numbers are too less.
"It is important that we generate a national will. When some people who made no sacrifices for the country come on the streets and talk about fragmentation of India with slogans like ‘Bharat tere tukre honge Inshallah Inshallah’, it's not what they said is important, but how the rest of the society responded is important," Doval said.
"When the rest of the society is a mute spectator to that and consider this to be an event, just as a news item. If it is not something that shakes them up it means that the national will is not up to the point where it has got to be," Doval added.
Doval's remarks comes days after the Delhi High Court put on hold the disciplinary action taken by JNU administration against sedition accused students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya.
He also pointed the tolerant nature of Islam practised in India saying ‘even during the Mughals, cow slaughter was banned’.
“All ulemas and religious leaders have condemned terrorism. We should also change out mindset towards the question of radicalisation,” the NSA said.
On terrorism, he said that the best method is to ‘degrade their intentions and capabilities’.
“We can degrade their capabilities using hard power new technologies and tactics. In a boxing ring, there would no any assurance of not getting punched. But we can assure you our punches would be much harder,” he said, adding that in a fight, blood would be shed and sacrifices made.
The NSA further heaped praises on the nation for its ability to generate surplus food.
"Today the entire West and the entire world are looking at India with hope. The nation is not only able to feed 125 crore people, but is also able to export to the world," he added.
