"If terrorists and militants from Pakistan try to carry out any attacks in India, they will not only be defeated but will be retaliated very strongly," he said in his speech in Tamil.

Chidambaram said India would retaliate strongly any attempt by Pakistan to send infiltrators into India and "we have strength to tackle any such infiltration". He said he had been consistently warning Pakistan against meddling into India's affairs but if they continued to do so "we will deal with them strongly".

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.76%

AAP 43.10%

INC 24.14%

Submit

View All In Poll

Chidambaram said both Congress and BJP governments at the Centre had underestimated the Naxalites for last 10 to 13 years. "Now they (Naxalites) were trying to create problems in the country with arms and weapons in their hands. They are not going to succeed in this," he said, adding the Centre is ready to have dialogue with them provided they should lay down their weapons.

The Home Minister said the "Naxalites are our own countrymen and not enemies like Pakistan terrorists". He said the visit of a delegation of MPs from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka earlier this month had helped to send back nearly 81,000 internally displaced Tamils in Sri Lanka to their homes from camps.

The Sri Lankan government had assured that the remaining Tamils would also be send back to their homes from camps at the earliest, Chidambaram said.