Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, quoted in an interview on “covert operations” to catch most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, today clarified in tweets.
“Incorrect vers of my stmnts allegedly on Dawood attributed to me (sic),” Mr Rathore tweeted this morning. He also attacked a link to his interview and said he had spoken about “dossier diplomacy.”
On the weekend, Mr Rathore was quoted as saying in an interview to the India Today that the government would explore every possible means, including a covert or a special operation, to neutralize Dawood Ibrahim as well as 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
He said: “India’s enemies, like Dawood Ibrahim and LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, should not believe that India is not thinking about them. We always remain ready to neutralise our enemy.”
Asked whether there could be a covert operation, the minister, a former army officer, said, “We may do it but there will be no publicity before that. After the operation, there may be or there may not be. It depends on whether the government says it should be ‘covert operation’ or a ‘special operation’. A covert operation may never be known but information about a special operation may be given after it is done. A special operation is made public after it is done. It depends on the government as to when to do it…. Who knows it may be happening now or not happening now but it will be made public only after it is done.”
Responding to the interviewer’s comment that in 15 months, the Modi government had done little more on fugitives given shelter by Pakistan besides prepare a dossier, the minister said: “Saam, daam, dand, beid (all means will be used). Besides dossier, and other means also will be used. Whenever it happens, you will get the news.”