India will never forget Pulwama attack: Ajit Doval

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Tuesday said that India will never forget the killing of 40 CRPF jawans in the Pulwama attack last month and it is the leadership which decides "when, where and how" to respond to it.

Speaking on the occasion of 80th CRPF anniversary parade in Gurugram, Doval said, "We have not forgotten 40 jawans who lost their lives in Pulwama; the country will never forget this."

He added, "What we have to do, which path we have to follow, what action is to be taken and at what time, our nation's leadership is capable and strong enough to take this decision and face every kind of challenge."

He said that the country is capable of doing whatever is needed to be done, whether it is against terrorists or those who are helping them. "We will fight against them. We have the courage and intention to fight against any crisis," said Doval.

The NSA paid tributes to 40 CRPF jawans who were killed in a ghastly attack by Pakistan based Jasih-e-Mohammed (JeM). The CRPF convoy was targetted in Awantipora area of Pulwama district on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on February 14.

Emphasising on CRPF's contribution, he said, "Whenever we have meetings and discuss which force to send, how many battalions should be sent and where, we say send the CRPF, it is a credible force, we can completely trust them. It takes years to achieve such credibility."

Appreciating the CRPF's hard work, Doval added that the CRPF was initially started with just two battalions and it has 242 battalions today. "This is the only security force which has reached every part of the country for elections, law and order, etc. You are an incredible force of the nation," he underlined.

On February 26, Indian Air Force attacked terror camps in Balakot area in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, targeting a huge advanced training camp of JeM.