Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla stated that India’s Armed forces will not let political turmoil in other nations affect India, in an apparent reference to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
News agency PTI quoted Birla saying “We have full faith in our Armed forces that they wouldn’t let political turmoil in any other country (Afghanistan) affect India,”
The Lok Sabha speaker is currently on a tour to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, as part of a parliamentary outreach programme that aims to empower Panchayati Raj institutions. He said that he is visiting the region to strengthen the Panchayati Raj system and democratic institutions in the Valley. He also added that India favours a democratic form of governance in all nations.
Birla’s comments came after Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat said terrorism slopped out of Afghanistan will be dealt with in the same manner India deals with terrorism currently. Adding that the country will also welcome any intelligence inputs that might help it contain terrorism spilling over from Afghanistan, Rawat said that the need of remaining alert with reference to Pakistan and China and said that both the neighbours are ‘nuclear capable’.
Birla also weighed in on the recent tension on the LAC and echoed similar concerns while blaming the border tensions on a few countries and their ‘expansionist approach’. He is scheduled to visit far-flung areas of the Ladakh region including Pangong Lake and Nubra Valley. Birla will also visit Pahalgam and Srinagar to interact with the Panchayat leaders from these places.
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