Time has come to give Pakistan a befitting reply: Jitendra Singh

Delhi: Blaming Pakistan for the terror attack in Uri, Union Minister Jitendra Singh today said those trying to test India's security and confidence would be given a befitting response.

"We have known long enough who are behind sponsoring terrorism against India particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. I think time has come to call their bluff and give them a befitting reply," the Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office told reporters here.

Singh, who is also a Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur constituency, said an effective strategy has to be devised to deter such attacks in future.

"I think that simply calling it an act of cowardice does not suffice, because not responding would also be cowardice," Singh said.

The Minister said "those who tend to put India's security or India's confidence to test would be given a befitting response."

"I don't have to spell out that in public. I am sure the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs would come out with an effective strategy," he said.

"It is a disturbing moment and a moment of introspection. I shudder to think how can the nation ever and ever repay for such supreme and ultimate sacrifice of our jawans," he said.

The Minister said those behind the "despicable" terror attack have to be punished.

"I feel shattered over the loss of 17 precious lives of our brave soldiers. There is no other option but to punish those behind this dastardly act," he said.

Singh asked Opposition parties to forget their political differences and respond to the "call of the nation".

Criticising the human rights activists "who try to ignore the killing of soldiers by terrorists", the Minister said an Indian soldier is as much entitled to human rights as anybody else.

Heavily armed militants stormed a battalion headquarters of the Army in North Kashmir's Uri town in the wee hours today, killing 17 jawans and injuring 19 other personnel in the terror strike in which four ultras were neutralised.