Coimbatore: Post the air strikes conducted by India on terror camps in Pakistan, the situation of Pakistan was like that of a thief stung by a scorpion as they couldn’t accept it nor keep quiet about it, Indian Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said here on Thursday.Naidu was speaking at the first graduation day ceremony of the PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research at Neelambur near the city.While making a reference to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s slogan, ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’, Naidu said, “We have seen how our Army fought for the cause of the unity and integrity of the nation, how skilfully they did their duty in the recent strikes. The situation of our neighbouring country is such that they can’t accept it and also can’t keep quiet about it.”Elaborating, Naidu alluded to the Telugu saying, ‘If a thief is stung by a scorpion, he can’t cry out, neither can he be quiet’. “That is the situation of Pakistan today. They have been funding and training terrorists.”While former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee added ‘Jai Vigyan’ to the famous slogan, today we should add ‘Jai Anusandhan’ to it, giving importance to innovation and research, Naidu said.Speaking of agriculture, he said it was time for introducing structural changes in agriculture rather than giving lollipops or loan waivers to farmers. “The importance given to technology and research must also be given to agriculture. 54% of Indian population live in rural areas and depend on agriculture. I interact with farmers and pass the feedback I receive to the Prime Minister, chief ministers and policy making bodies such as Niti Aayog,” he said.Sops such as loan waiver and free power for farmers would not work, said the VP. “We need assured power for farmers.” It should be made mandatory for students to spend time in villages and get to know the lives of farmers, he added.

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