Pathankot attack: India will give befitting reply to Pak's proxy war, says Gadkari

Hyderabad: Lambasting Pakistan for resorting to proxy war against India, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday warned that India would give a befitting reply to its neighbour if it continued to perpetrate Pathankot-like terrorist attacks.

"We want friendly relationship with our neighbours, but after having faced defeat thrice, Pakistan has waged a proxy war against India. If Pakistan continues to perpetrate such (Pathankot-like) incidents using terrorists, India will give befitting reply," said Gadkari.

"Pakistan knows it well that it cannot defeat India; hence, it is pushing terrorists into the India territory to kill innocent people and to create hostility between Hindus and Muslims to bring India on the brink of a war," he said.

"Pakistan is also fighting with poverty and unemployment, India wants to be friends with Pakistan, however, it doesn't mean that India is weak," he said.

Gadkari said, "It's unfortunate that some of the countrymen, who are acting as Pakistan's agent, are challenging the nationality of this country. I feel sorry that such elements are growing in Hyderabad."

"They don't love India. They want to break the country. They don't want to eradicate poverty and unemployment from the country. They don't want to see our country free from fear, terrorism, and corruption. They only want to mislead people by way of casteism and communalism," he added.

Gadkari's statement came in the backdrop of the Pathankot terrorist attack, in which five terrorists and seven security men were killed, while 20 other security personnel got injured.

The operation at the Pathankot air base to eliminate the sixth terrorist is still on.