Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who made a statement in Rajya Sabha on Monday's attack amid din created by Congress members, said the terrorists had sneaked in possibly because of the "difficult terrain coupled with recent heavy rains, resulting in excess flow in the rivers and canals along the border."
He said the government will do everything possible to prevent cross-border terrorism and "any effort by the enemies of our nation to undermine India's territorial integrity and security or imperil the safety and security of our citizens will meet an effective and forceful response from our security forces."
He said, "The security forces in the border are alert but the difficult terrain coupled with recent heavy rains, resulting in excess flow in the rivers and canals along the border, could have been a factor, in this particular group sneaking into Punjab."
Minister for Finance and Information and Broadcasting Arun Jaitley later told reporters outside Parliament that the evidence that the Gurdaspur attack had Pakistan connection is "overwhelmingly conclusive" but refused to say whether dialogue with Pakistan was still possible after this.
Asked if dialogue with Pakistan was possible in view of this, Jaitley said, "That is a view the government will take and the External Affairs Ministry will take. I would not like to comment on this. That is part of a diplomatic strategy."
While Singh spoke in Rajya Sabha, the Congress members, carrying placards, were shouting slogans in the Well against the Prime Minister and his government over the terror attack.
The slogans included: "56 inch ki chhati hai hai (down with 56 inch chest)' and 'Narendra Modi hai hai (down with Narendra Modi)' and 'NDA government hai hai (down with NDA government).
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
