Allow soldiers to open fire at borders: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh urges Centre to change policy

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday appealed to the Centre to change its policy to allow soldiers at the borders to open fire in their defence and for protecting the nation's territorial integrity.

His remarks comes against the backdrop of killings of 20 Indian Army personnel in a clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley on Monday night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff in the region.

Singh, who himself is an Army veteran, said in his Facebook Live edition of 'AskCaptain' that the Government of India's policy should be that "if they kill one of ours, we should kill 5 of theirs."

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It was absolutely wrong to send soldiers unarmed or not to allow them to defend themselves, he said, adding that when he and his Army colleagues used to go on patrols during his posting along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for two years, they carried all kinds of weapons.

"We are in the nuclear era and we are carrying and being beaten by dandas!" quipped the chief minister, expressing shock at the fact that 20 Indian soldiers, including four from Punjab, had lost their lives in an attack by 'lathi' wielding and stone throwing Chinese, who he asserted simply could not be trusted.

Lamenting the death of four Punjabi soldiers in the Galwan Valley clash, the chief minister said it was extremely unfortunate, even though "as army men we are always prepared to take the bullet."

Besides increasing the compensation for their next of kin from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 50 lakh, his government has decided to name schools after the martyrs, said Singh, adding that he had spoken to two of the families so far.

On the issue of pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) lawyer Gurpatwant Singh Pannu extending support to China, the chief minister in an official release here said he was not only propagating but actively involved in promoting separatism and terrorism in India.

Asserting that he would not allow Pannu to succeed in his divisive agenda and disturb the state's peace at any cost, Singh dared the ""pro-Khalistani propagandist to come to Punjab instead of hiding out in other countries to spread his vicious campaign".

Declaring his commitment to sustaining Punjab's peace "at all costs", the chief minister said, "In the absence of peace, no industry will come to the state, and there will be no jobs for our children."

The state's economy will be in shambles if forces inimical to peace are allowed to spread their fangs, he added.