Militants must be dealt with firmly, says Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday said "militants must be dealt with firmly, even though an introspection was required as to what had driven scores of youths to such levels of anger and protest in Jammu and Kashmir."

Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting here, Sonia Gandhi said, "Recent events in the valley are tragic and pose a grave challenge to country. The loss of life and suffering of our brothers and sisters, whether they are civilian or of the armed forces, is a source of deep anguish. There can be no compromise on national security."