Soldiers should kill the enemy, not lay down lives: Defence Minister

Panaji, Dec 14: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday said soldiers should be asked to kill the enemy instead of being told to lay down their own lives.

"It was said that soldier is ready to lay down his life for country. I am against it. Why get killed? Don't get killed. Kill the enemy.

See the record of one year and you will see the result (of the instruction)," Parrikar said. He was addressing a reception hosted by the state BJP here on his 60th birthday. Recalling the country's counter-insurgency operation in Myanmar earlier this year, Parrikar said, "After Indian soldiers were martyred, we called for the meeting within three hours. I have got support of (Home Minister) Rajnath Singh."

"After Myanmar crisis, we held meeting within three hours and the entire operation was kept a secret. As per official statement we conducted the operation on Indo-Myanmar Border. But one should know to read between the lines". The counter-insurgency operation was carried out by commandos in June who destroyed camps of NSCN (Khaplang) militants in Myanmar in retaliation to killing of 18 Army personnel by the ultras in Chandel district of Manipur earlier.

The Defence Minister said he liked to go around without security as "having security might not be safe at times". "They (police) relay message on wireless giving exact position of the VIP. I ask police to stay away as I don't want security but I have to take it as attack on Union Defence Minister can make international news," he added.

PTI