Even as he underscored the need for a diplomatic solution to India's escalating border tension with China, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday warned the communist country against attempts to intrude Indian territory, saying Delhi will not back off in the face of Beijing's intimidation.
"While we do not want war, we will not tolerate any bullying by Beijing," said the Chief Minister, who is a former Indian Army Captain,
He warned the neighbouring country against taking India lightly. "This is not 1962," he said, making it clear that if China did not stop indulging in intimidating behaviour, it would have to pay the price.
"The Indian Army is ready to give a befitting reply and China should not take any chances," he warned in response to a Kolkata resident's question during a Facebook Live session.
"We don't want war with any nation and want the situation to improve; but if they keep behaving like this, we won't have any other option left," he said while urging China to mend its ways and talk to India to resolve the issue.
Amarinder Singh said China cannot stop India from building any infrastructure on its side of the border.
"They (Chinese) don't listen to us when we object to them making roads inside our area in Aksai Chin, but when we make a road inside our area they react with aggression," he added.
The Congress Chief Minister was equally stern in warning Pakistan, which had been trying to foment trouble in Punjab and other parts of India by pushing in terrorists, weapons and drugs from across the border through use of drones and other means.
A robust three-tier security structure, comprising the BSF, Punjab Police and Indian Army, was monitoring and securing the border with Pakistan 24X7, he said, adding that Punjab Police had, in recent months, busted 32 terror modules and seized more than 200 weapons.
On the "attempts made by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of the secessionist Sikhs for Justice outfit to instigate people and foment trouble in Punjab", Amarinder Singh said he would not let Punjab's hard-earned peace be disturbed at any cost by foreign elements.
He warned Pannu of dire consequences if he did not stop trying to destabilise the state.
( With inputs from IANS )