No talks till proxy war ends 8212; Fernandes

8220;Even these designs are being foiled by our alert jawans. A large number of mercenaries, mostly foreign nationals, have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir leading to demoralisation among the Pakistani terrorists,8221; he said in an address to officers and jawans of the armed forces on the eve of Independence Day.

Fernandes said India had always extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan but Islamabad continued to nurse hostility 8220;towards us8221;. The Kargil intrusion was the latest example of this betrayal by Islamabad, he added.

He informed the troops that the Government had reserved eight per cent allotment of petrol, diesel, kerosene pumps and gas agencies for the next-of-kin of gallant soldiers. He lauded the armed forces for not only protecting human rights wherever they were deployed but also protecting the environment by planting trees. Fernandes spoke of efforts being made to re-employ 55,000 retiring defence personnel. He also lauded the role of the armed forces in international peace-keeping operations.

He told the troops that during the Kargil conflict the three wings of the armed forces had shown exemplary cohesion, courage, coordination and sacrifice. 8220;While the ground forces braved the elements on snowy peaks to force the intruders out, Air Force fighters made pin-point bombing raids on enemy positions on the LoC and our naval forces made their presence felt in the Arabian Sea, which helped to limit the Kargil war,8221; he said.

Speaking in Jalandhar during the day, he said the Government was conducting a census to prepare a list of families of soldiers who had sacrificed their lives in wars and IPKF operations in Sri Lanka to give them the benefits that have been denied to them. He said the Government had also decided to increase the compensation for families of martyrs to Rs 10 lakh besides insurance and other facilities.

He said a sum of Rs 5 lakh would be contributed from the National Defence Fund while parents of the martyrs, who are 8220;ignored8221; by their widows, will get an amount of Rs 2 lakh as relief.

Fernandes said the Government has also decided to deposit Rs 1 lakh in the name of children of each martyr, and till he or she attained the age of 18, interest would be paid on a monthly basis besides providing free education.