Govt will possibly carry out covert operation against Dawood: Rathore

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said the government would explore every possible means to neutralise terrorsts like Dawood Ibrahim and Hafiz Saeed

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Monday said that the government would explore every possible means, including carrying out a covert or a special operation, to neutralise Pakistan-based terrorists Dawood Ibrahim or Hafiz Saeed.

Speaking to a private news channel, the minister said that India is always ready to neutralise its enemies.

"Wherever India's enemies are based, they must never be under any delusion that India is not thinking about them," said Rathore.

When asked why a military operation was not carried out against Dawood, the main accused in 1993 Mumbai blasts, as was done in the case of Myanmar-based insurgents who had struck in Manipur, he said: "It is possible that an operation is launched but it will not be talked about before it is launched."

Rathore, however, maintained that the government still believed that dialogue was the best way to find a way forward with Pakistan, but insisted that a dialogue, in current circumstances, can only happen on ending terror.