Indian President Pranab Mukherjee on Friday slammed Pakistan, saying state-sponsored terrorism from across the border could not be accepted.
On a four-day state visit to Belgium, Mukherjee said India wanted peace with Pakistan but there could be no compromise with its own territorial integrity.
He also dismissed Pakistan’s contention that “non-state actors” were behind the terror acts in India, saying they were not coming from heaven, but from territory under the control of the neighbouring country.
Mukherjee said terror infrastructure in Pakistan needed to be brought down.
“Terrorist activities must be curbed. And state-sponsored terrorism can never be accepted. Therefore, repeatedly we are saying, please dismantle the terrorist outfits which are located in your area,” he said in an interview to Euronews.
Mukherjee said non-state actors who perpetrated terrorism was a word used by Pakistan.
“It may not be. But non-state actors, that is the phrase they used, then I responded by saying that non-state actors are not coming from heaven. Non-state actors are coming from territory under your control.”
“And not now, in 2004 Pakistan agreed that their territories will not be allowed to be used by forces inimical to India,” he said.
He said India did not have any territorial ambitions and wanted peace with its neighbours while maintaining its own territorial integrity.