New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said India talks about universal brotherhood but it will not make any compromises when it comes to protecting its freedom and sovereignty.

Khattar was speaking at an international conference organised by Swadeshi Shodh Sansthan, a unit of the RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch. here. His remarks came against the backdrop of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed and several injured.

In his opening remarks, the minister for housing and urban affairs and power condemned the Pahalgam terror strike and expressed condolences for those killed in the incident.

“If the world has weapons of atomic energy, we are also not lagging,” he said.

“We talk about ‘vishva bandhutva (universal brotherhood) but, as it is said in common parlance, ‘hum kisi ko chhedenge nahin, lekin koi chhedega to chhodenge nahin (We will not pester anybody but if somebody needles us we will not spare),” he said.

“We have to remain prepared to protect our freedom and sovereignty,” he added.

Khattar said when the country and the society face any danger, India saw over the past 24 hours how decisions are taken.

After the terror attack, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) held a meeting and took the “strictest stand” against Pakistan to boycott the neighbouring country, he said.

“We talk about ‘vishva bandhutva’ but we do not compromise with our safety,” he added.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, the Union minister termed the terror strike as “dastardly” and said there is a lot of anger among people of the country over the incident.

“The government of India also took big actions immediately. In the (CCS) meeting yesterday, we took a stand against Pakistan, which is supporting these terrorists, that we will not have any relationship with it… “Indus Water Treaty was also put in abeyance. We will not do any business with them,” he said.

The government is alert so far as future actions are concerned, Khattar added.

“The people of the country want the strictest action to be taken. Our ministries, prime minister, defence minister and external affairs minister will consider what kind of response should be given (to the terror strike),” Khattar said. PTI PK PK KSS KSS