Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today demanded that India must go for “limited retaliatory action” against Pakistan for “abetting” and “sponsoring” the terror attack on an Army camp in Uri of Jammu and Kashmir.
“While the nature and type of retaliation should be decided by the Army, it must at no cost let the perpetrators of the terror attack go unpunished,” he said.
Speaking to mediapersons after flagging off 13 campaign vehicles here, Amarinder said that though he is a strong advocate of people-to-people contact as common men on both sides want peace and cordial relationship, that does not mean our Army should let the killing of our soldiers go unpunished.
“It is a question of maintaining the morale of our Army and that is non-negotiable,” he said.
Eighteen soldiers were killed when Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked an Army camp in Uri in Kashmir on Sunday morning, drawing outrage in the country.
To a question on the possibility of some leaders joining the party, Amarinder said, “Congress is competent and confident of winning the polls on its own and it was not dependent on the support of outsiders”.
He, however, welcomed the homecoming of some party leaders, but not those who had “ditched” the party at a critical time.
To a question about the possibility of the “fourth front” leaders joining or aligning with Congress, Amarinder said, “Let them make up their mind and let you ask them about their plans before asking me for our reaction.”
Days after announcing the launch of Aawaaz-e-Punjab, former BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu said they have decided against forming a political party as it is too short a time to prepare for Punjab Assembly polls, but added that they are open to “alliance” for betterment of the state.
Earlier, during a function at Punjab Congress Bhawan, Amarinder flagged off 13 vehicles of the ‘Punjab Congress Express’, which will touch every nook and corner of the state as part of the 37-day-long ‘Congress Liyao, Punjab Bachao Campaign’
Amarinder was accompanied by senior leaders including AICC in charge for Punjab Asha Kumari, Campaign Committee chairperson Ambika Soni, AICC secretary Harish Chaudhry, CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, PCC senior vice president Laal Singh and others.