Indo-Pak border sealing good step, priority is to dismantle terrorism: BJP

New Delhi: Hailing Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's announcement that the border between India and Pakistan will be completely sealed by December 2018, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national secretary Shrikant Sharma on Saturday said India is developing new ways to thwart infiltrations and the priority is to dismantle terrorism.

"On our level, we are developing the fencing or the border with Pakistan in new ways to stop infiltration. 

In that direction, whatever options are on the table before our government and security forces, the government is working on all those options in the right direction. However, the priority is to dismantle terrorism," Sharma told ANI.

The BJP national secretary said, "We are following the policy of 'zero tolerance' against terrorism and on every platform of the world, the Prime Minister has said there is 'no good or bad terrorism; terrorism is only terrorism'. We have started a campaign and have isolated Pakistan."

Addressing media after holding a meeting of representatives of states sharing borders with Pakistan in Jaisalmer on Friday, Rajnath Singh said a time-bound action plan has been prepared and its implementation will be properly monitored.

Singh said the government has also come up with a new concept of border security grid to ensure the nation's safety.

"We called this meeting in the wake of a target set by the Union Home Ministry to completely seal the India-Pakistan border by December 2018. The action plan in this regard is time bound. Proper monitoring will be done periodically, monthly and quarterly," said Singh.

"Monitoring will be done at MHA, BSF and chief secretary levels. We will start a new concept called border security grid. The nation`s security will never be compromised," he added.

Taking a pot-shot at those leaders who are demanding proof of the surgical strike, Sharma said, "Even as the entire country, families associated with the armed forces and ex-servicemen are expressing their enthusiasm and celebrating the surgical strike, some political parties, motivated by their personal gain, are questioning the surgical strike and criticising the Prime Minister and the BJP. This is not the time when we criticise each other, today we need to boost the morale of our armed forces and how to end terrorism unitedly."

"Today, there is a need to have a big heart, and statements made by narrow-minded people, whether of the Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party, are giving a chance to people living across the border to celebrate, but have disappointed people in India," he added.

Calling on them to "introspect", Sharma said they should not do politics over it, and help the government and the army to dismantle terrorism.

A political slugfest over surgical strikes broke out Tuesday with Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam calling it "fake" and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asking the government to release proof of the surgical strikes to counter the Pakistani propaganda against the operation.

"Every Indian wants #SurgicalStrikesAgainstPak but not a fake one to extract just political benefit by #BJP. Politics over national interest," tweeted Nirupam.

"BJP make a mockery out of it by chest thumping and putting up posters in UP,Goa crediting PM Modi instead of the Army," Nirupam said in another tweet.

Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal tweeted: "BJP, I m convinced that strikes took place. But intl media publishing Pak propaganda that no strike took place. Lets expose Pak propaganda".

Meanwhile, leader of Opposition in the Gujarat assembly and senior Congress leader Shankarsinh Vaghela also asked the Centre "to provide proof of the Army`s action to clear the doubts arising in the mind of the people about the claims of the government".

There was also a war of words on this issue between the leaderships of the Congress and the BJP on Friday, following Rahul Gandhi`s remark that Prime Minister Modi was playing with the blood of India`s soldiers for political gain.

The relationship between the two estranged neighbours has plunged to a new low in recent times in the wake of Uri terror attack and the subsequent predawn September 29 surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army along the Line of Control (LoC).