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Defence Minister A.K. Antony has mentioned that Pakistan should adopt stringent actions against terrorists who are launching attacks on India for a better and cordial relationship with India.
"In relations with Pakistan, the main impediment is that there are still large numbers of terrorist camps operating across the border. There is a continuous effort to push terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has to take serious efforts (to tackle terrorists), then only relations can improve," said Antony during the eve of giving out Trivandrum Press Club journalism awards in Thiruvananthapuram.
When asked if government has plans for using army against the Maoists, he said: "We are very clear that law and order is a state subject. The centre will only help them (the states) with paramilitary forces. Army can be called in only as the last resort, when all other options have been exhausted."
When asked about the India-ASEAN treaty, Antony criticised Kerala's Left Front government which has opposed the treaty.
"Minister of Commerce Anand Sharma wrote to the chief minister (V.S. Achuthanandan) in August regarding all the aspects of the negative list. People here are trying to make a political issue out of this. This should not happen," said Antony.
