Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said India is willing to fight the battle of cross-border terrorism with firepower and would also intensify diplomatic efforts to pin down Pakistan.Coming down heavily on Pakistan, he said: ‘‘It must be held accountable for its continued sponsorship of terrorism in India’’. The main threat to country’s internal security is from cross-border terrorism fueled by religious extremism, drawing its ‘‘ideological sustenance, organisational patronage and operational support’’ from outside the borders.‘‘To overcome this challenge, we have to fight our battle at various levels and with multiple means — diplomatically, politically, ideologically and of course, on ground with intelligence and firepower,’’ the Prime Minister said during a conference of the Director Generals and Inspector Generals of Police.‘‘The Centre will intensify its diplomatic efforts to remind the global anti-terror coalition partners to redeem their pledge to combat and defeat terrorism everywhere,’’ he said. Also, security forces would have to continue their ‘‘goodwork’’ on the ground, which had allowed two phases of free and fair polling in J-K, he added.‘‘There were killings of candidates and political activists, intimidation of voters, call for poll boycott. However, the people of J-K braved all this to once again demonstrate that bullet cannot defeat ballot in a democracy,’’ the Prime Minister said.Asserting that Indian security forces had made steady advances on all fronts to fight terrorism, Vajpayee said, ‘‘this has made the adversary grow desperate’’. ‘‘A good part of this desperation owes to the growing success gained by our security forces in turning the heat on terrorist outfits and infiltration from across the border,’’ he said.On the insurgency situation in the Northeast, he said while peace efforts with NSCN (I-M) has made headway, similar efforts is also on with Bodos and negotiations with a militant outfit from Karbi Anglong district of Assam. ‘‘We are trying to speed up all-round economic and infrastructural development in the Northeast,’’ he added.Referring to Left-wing extremism which is ‘‘spreading tentacles in many parts of central and eastern states,’’ the PM urged the police and security agencies of the affected states to pool their intelligence and experience and undertake coordinated operations on a sustained basis.
