Those with evil designs will be taught befitting lessons by our soldiers if they cross the line: Naidu

Issuing a warning to Pakistan for aiding and abetting terror, NDA nominee for Vice Presidential poll Venkaiah Naidu today said that if those with evil designs and ulterior motives cross the line, they would be taught "befitting lessons" by our brave soldiers. 'We are the world’s largest Democracy and one of the world’s oldest civilisations.

We believe in civil ways of resolving all disputes. But if those with evil designs and ulterior motives cross the line, they will be taught befitting lessons by our patriotic and brave soldiers,' Mr Naidu said in an address at the Kargil Parakram Parade, which honoured the martyrs of the Kargil conflict of 1999. In an apparent reference to Pakistan, Mr Naidu charged it of making concerted efforts to create instability and tension in the region. 'Concerted efforts are being made to create instability and tension in the region.

Even diplomatic misadventures are being resorted to violating all norms of diplomatic conduct. I will not be surprised if we see more and more such efforts,' Mr Naidu said and warned Islamabad that the Indian soldiers would respond in a 'befitting manner' to these activities. 'Ours is a peace loving country. Peace flows in our blood. But when this highly coveted peace is denied to us, our brave soldiers respond in a befitting manner. This is what proved by the success of Operation Vijay. Our soldiers braving several odds in defence of our country have the strong support of the might of 125-crore Indians,' he said. Allaeging that the terror attacks from across the border were aimed at upsetting the development narrative emerging in our country, Mr Naidu said India’s development story could not be derailed by such ‘shoot and scoot’ tactics. '

It is because they are aimed at upsetting the development narrative emerging in our country with India steadily emerging as a powerful political, technological and economic power in the global scheme of things. We are the world’s largest democracy and one of the world’s oldest civilisations. Our credentials as a responsible global player are widely acknowledged. That is the reason we got wider support when ‘surgical strikes’ were launched by our soldiers recently against cross border terror designs. We seek and firmly believe in peace in the region since development and uplift of the poor is possible only in such an environment.

It is time all mis-adventurists realise that India’s development story can’t be derailed by such ‘shoot and scoot’ tactics. We are too strong to get irritated and loose our focus,' he said. On this occasion, Mr Naidu reminded Pakistan of India's victory in the 1971 war. 'The Kargil misadventure was hatched just five months after Lahore Declaration was signed in February, 1999 by the two countries with the objective of de-escalating tensions between the two neighbours. This mischievous misadventure named ‘Operation Badr’ was scripted 29 years after the great victory for our country in the 1971 war. But it was effectively foiled by our brave soldiers to whom our nation ever remains grateful,' Mr Naidu said.