Mumbai: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday alleged that some former Prime Ministers had compromised the country's "deep assets" on national security but refrained from naming them. Parrikar said he did not give details about Coast Guard operation involving a boat coming from Pakistan as the "source of information might be compromised".
"After all, you have to build deep assets. Deep assets are created over 20-30 years. Sadly, there were some prime ministers who compromised deep assets. I am not going to disclose names. Many people know," Parrikar said after releasing a special issue of the Hindi weekly Vivek, on national security.
Taunting the Congress for demanding evidence on the recent Coast Guard operation against a Pakistani vessel carrying suspected terrorists, he said, "There was demand for giving proof that it was a Pakistani terror vessel. Tomorrow, during such operation we will take along a media cameraman and also the Congress spokesperson. However, now-a-days nothing can be said with certainty as Congress spokespersons say good things about Modi government," Parrikar said taking a swipe at Janardhan Dwivedi.
Parrikar said there were differing perceptions between India and China on the Line of Actual Control. "We have not taken the issue of border security seriously. Tomorrow if war were to take place and at the same time if there were riots in some parts of the country, it would be difficult (situation)," Parrikar said.
Highlighting the need for media to exercise restraint on sensitive issues like terror attacks, Parrikar compared the TV coverage of recent Paris terror attacks and the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. "In Paris, not a single body was shown and not a drop of blood was seen on TV. Contrast this to our live coverage. I am not criticising but we should have this sense," he said.
Similarly the real reason for what happened after Godhra incident in 2002 was the disturbing photos shown (by media)," Parrikar said. "Tomorrow somebody may file a PIL complaining that the decibel level of firing on the border exceeds 140 decibels after 10 pm norms and that it disturbs their sleep," Parrikar said.
"The only exception is loudspeakers atop certain holy places where nobody objects even if the loudspeakers blare till 1 am," he said. Parrikar said he plans to send Defence Ministry officials to border for 15 days to sensitize them on hardships faced by armed forces. "Then maybe several files will be cleared fast," the Defence Minister said.
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