Shillong: Asserting that the Government will never compromise with those using gun, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that the Government will go to any extent to root out terrorism from the country but was open to hold dialogue with those lying down arms.
"The growing menace of terrorism and naxalism is a cause of worry. The Government will not compromise with terrorism," Singh told reporters in Shillong.
"There were some initial setbacks, but we will overcome them. The Government will go to any extent to root out terrorism from the country," Singh said referring to the terrorist strikes in Mumbai, Delhi and Assam.
Asked whether the Centre was open to talks with the banned ULFA, Singh said, "all insurgent groups must recognise that their only course open to them is to lay down arms. We will never compromise with those who believe in use of gun to get solution to their real or imaginary problems."
He said insurgents and terrorists must recognise that gun is no solution to get their demands met.
"Once they lay down arms as Indian citizens we are willing to talk to anybody," he said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday also asked Pakistan to hand over the masterminds behind the November 26 Mumbai terror attack so that they can be tried in India.
"War (with Pakistan) is no solution but Pakistan should hand over the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack for trial in India," Manmohan Singh said at a press conference here.
He said that the two biggest challenges facing India today were "the global slowdown and the menace of terrorism".
The Prime Minister is in Shillong to inaugurate the 96th Indian Science Congress.
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