Surgical strikes a message that India will not tolerate terrorists: Sitharaman

New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) The surgical strikes across the Line of Control in 2016 was a message that India would not tolerate terrorists in the garb of intruders and the act of killing soldiers will not go unpunished, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here on Friday.

Participating in the 'Parakram Parv' event, marking the second anniversary of the military action across the LoC, on the lawns of India Gate here, she said it was out in the open that all the terrorist launch pads were cleared in the surgical strikes carried out in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack. 

"On the night of 28-29, Indian armed forces proved to this world that there is a very clear way in which we will show our strength to say that we shall not tolerate terrorists in the garb of intruders and creating havoc at our borders, at least hoping to create," Sitharaman said. 

"We showed for the cowardly act of killing soldiers who were in their bases (at Uri), India shall not sit and watch the whole thing. We proved to them that it shall not go unpunished. And when it shall not go unpunished, what is the action we would take. 

"It is out in the open now. All the terrorist pads were cleared off. And those who were waiting to spread terror have been adequately punished. Therefore, today we are observing Parakram Parv so that every citizen of India remembers the brave and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation. We bow to them," she added.

India is observing ‘Parakram Parv to mark the second anniversary of the 2016 cross-LoC military strikes on militant launch pads which the Army conducted on the intervening night of September 28-29.

The event at the India Gate lawns will continue till September 30 and events are also being held at 53 locations in 51 cities across the country to "highlight the valour of the Indian armed forces in general and special forces in particular".

The Minister said that she was "feeling elated" to see so many people including school children and NCC cadets, gathered at the event to celebrate the occasion. 

Visitors will get the opportunity to see captured weapons used by terrorists that have been brought from Jammu and Kashmir. 

Military equipment such as artillery guns and small arms will also be on display. Besides the military band, a few renowned singers will also perform at the event.