* BJP opposes talks with Pak
FRANKFURT, Sept 26: Indicating that he will go ahead with the meeting with his Pakistani counterpart in New York on Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today said the “provocative” terror attacks like the ones in Jammu region will not succeed in derailing the process of dialogue.
However, he strongly condemned today’s terror strikes, saying it was done by the “enemies of peace” from across the border, an apparent reference to Pakistan.
Singh, who will be meeting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for talks, said: India is firmly resolved to combat and defeat the terrorist menace that continues to receive encouragement and reinforcement from across the border.”
“This is one more in a series of provocations and barbaric actions by the enemies of peace,” Singh said in a statement here en route to the US.
“Such attacks will not deter us and will not succeed in derailing our efforts to find a resolution to all problems through a process of dialogue,” he said.
“No words are strong enough to condemn the heinous terrorist attack on Hiranagar police station and Army camp at Samba in Jammu and Kashmir this morning,” Singh said.
“I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of the brave Army and police officers as well as the innocent civilian martyred in this cowardly attack,” he added.
At the meeting on September 29, the Indian side will see what the new Pakistan Prime Minister, who has made “some nice statements” about the relationship, has to offer to address its concerns over ceasefire violations on the Line of Control and International Border, continued terrorism and inaction against the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attack.
Bilateral relations soured after five Indian soldiers were killed by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control last month.
India has also been urging Islamabad to take steps to stop terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil and to prosecute those responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The situation on the LoC and terrorism will be discussed, highly placed sources said about the talks that will take place against the backdrop of a chill in bilateral ties.
Emphasising the need for talks with Pakistan, the sources said it is all the more essential after the “barbaric incidents” on the LoC.
The sources said the two leaders will review the status of bilateral relations to see “where we are and where we need to go”. They, however, sought to keep expectations low, emphasising that any substantial outcome should not be hoped for.
The sources further said there will be no joint statement. They underlined the need for talking to Pakistan, arguing that “you don’t need to make peace with friends but with enemies”.
“We are ready to talk on all issues. We know what are the issues,” a source said.
Defence Minister A K Antony described as “despicable” the dastardly attack by terrorists on security posts in Jammu today and said the security establishment would leave no stone unturned in dealing with terrorists with a firm hand.
Mr Antony conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the family members of the officers and jawans who were killed in this “despicable attack” and said the nation was with them in this hour of grief.
The terrorists, who carried out attacks in Jammu region, came from across the border this morning, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said.
According to preliminary reports, the terrorists infiltrated into India early this morning and launched the audacious attack – first on a police station and then on an Army camp, he said.
“As per preliminary information, the four terrorists came from across the border,” the Minister told reporters here.
Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami said according to initial reports, the group — numbering three or four — attacked a police station in Hiranagar and then an Army camp near Samba district headquarters.
Condemning the twin terror attacks in Jammu region, BJP today said Pakistan is continuing with its strategy to strike at will through proxy war of terror and demanded that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh should not hold the proposed talks with his Pakistani counterpart.
BJP President Rajnath Singh asked why the Prime Minister is in a “hurry” to meet Nawaz Sharif. The two leaders are due to meet in New York on September 29 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“The PM is in a hurry to start dialogue with Pakistan. There should be no talks with Pakistan unless there is a conducive environment,” Singh said on a Twitter post.
“I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on the police and security forces in Jammu. The terrorists have attacked India almost at will,” he added. The BJP has opposed the talks between the two Prime Ministers.
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said the Prime Minister had himself assured the nation through both Houses of Parliament after Mumbai attack and after beheading of two soldiers that India will not hold talks with Pakistan till it takes minimal action against terror.
“But what are we seeing today that Pakistan land is being used to attack and conduct terror attacks in India,” he said.
“We condemn the twin dastardly attacks. This shows that Pakistan continues on its strategy to strike at will through this proxy war of terror,” he said.
Another BJP leader Yashwant Sinha maintained that the Prime Minister should not hold talks at all with Sharif.
Sinha said the attack on the Army camp in Samba is a “very serious development” and “extremely disturbing”.
“Some people say that this has happened because these terrorists want to derail the talks between India and Pakistan. But my point is who are these terrorists and who are behind these terrorists.
“There is enough evidence to suggest that with Dawood Ibrahim and Hafiz Saeed roaming free in Pakistan and ISI backing them, these terrorist attacks are carried out with fullest support from Pakistan,” the BJP leader said.
Sinha said the issue now is that whether the ISI and Pakistan Army are under the control of the Pakistan Government or not.
“If they are not then what is the point of talking to a Government, which is so crippled. We are not going to achieve anything and therefore, I have no hesitation in saying that the Prime Minister should call off the talks. I am against the talks to begin with and I will insist that he should call off the talks even at this stage,” he said.
Maintaining that bilateral talks at the summit are “entirely uncalled for”, Sinha said the country should send a clear message to Pakistan that they must resist from attacking India, otherwise there will be no movement forward.
“And this message can be sent through diplomatic channels. Prime Minister does not need to meet for this,” he said.
Asserting that dialogue between India and Pakistan should continue notwithstanding the terrorist attack in Jammu region, Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said elements in Pakistan Army and ISI will continue such dastardly acts as they do not want relationship between the two countries to improve.
“There are forces in Pakistan Army and ISI which will continue to resort to such dastardly acts as they don’t want the relationship between India and Pakistan to improve. They did this just ahead of the meeting between the two Prime Ministers so that the talks get disrupted and the issue of Kashmir never gets solved,” Azad said.
Calling it a long planned attack, Azad said the Army and ISI in Pakistan will continue to resort to such acts to assert their presence and to keep their importance intact in their country.
“The Army and the ISI think that if the relationship between India and Pakistan will improve then they will have no role and existence. Thus to assert their presence, that section foments trouble and terrorism in Kashmir and India through some channels,” he said.
“I had served as a Chief Minister of Kashmir and I know how things work in Pakistan. Even the Prime Minister doesn’t get to know lot of things. Army and ISI have their own vested interests. But we should continue our political discussions and don’t let those forces affect it,” he said.
New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir today, describing it an attempt to derail the peace process between India and Pakistan.
Dr Abdullah, a former Chief Minister of the State, expressed shock at the incident and said precious innocent lives had been lost by this “senseless and cowardly act”.
“I strongly condemn the attack and sincerely hope that this will not be able to derail the ongoing peace efforts between India and Pakistan,” Dr Abdullah said.
Government today accused BJP of “politicising” the terror attacks in Jammu by asking Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh not to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif and said the opposition party too had invited former President Pervez Musharraf after Kargil war.
Defending the Prime Minister’s decision to go ahead with talks with Sharif, Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said India will forcefully raise the issue of terror during the bilateral meeting.
“BJP has no moral right to criticise the UPA Government. When they were in power, even they invited Kargil war architect Musharraf for talks. BJP should not forget that,” he told reporters here.
His comments came in the wake of BJP President Rajnath Singh accusing the Government of pursuing a “spineless” diplomacy and demanding that Manmohan Singh should call off his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York on Sunday in the wake of twin terror strikes in Jammu region.
RPN Singh said there were certain people who do not want normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan and whenever any peace initiative is taken, efforts are made to derail it.
“It is extremely unfortunate that whenever there is an initiative for peace between India and Pakistan, there are attempts to derail the talks. Today’s terrorist attack is that only. But we do not need to bog down with it,” he said. (Agencies)
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