NEW DELHI, Nov 22:
Blaming Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism in India, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the neighbouring country is providing shelter to Dawood Ibrahim and the mob boss is currently staying along the Pak-Afghan border.
He said that though India wants to maintain cordial relations with Pakistan, Islamabad seems not too keen on establishing friendly relations with New Delhi.
Addressing the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit here, he said terrorism in India is not home grown but is externally aided… It is from Pakistan.
“Terrorism in India is fully Pakistan sponsored. Pakistan says non state actors are involved. But is ISI non-state actor. ISI is aiding terrorism,” he said.
Singh said Pakistan is not taking initiative to punish those involved in 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as the case in that country was moving at a very slow pace.
“Pakistan is not helping in the judicial process. In fact it is trying to scuttle it,” he said.
According to the Home Minister, Dawood has been living in Pakistan and despite many requests, the neighboring country has not handed over him to India.
“When the Pakistan Premier came to India, our Prime Minister told him to hand over Dawood. We are pursuing it. We are trying to build diplomatic pressure… As he is the most wanted criminal… Right now he is along (Pakistan-) Afghanistan border,” he said.
Asked whether India would carry out a “hot pursuit” to nab Dawood, Singh said, “Give us time. Please wait. Strategy cannot be divulged. There is no time frame. But we are trying so that Pakistan hands over Dawood as early as possible. Diplomatic pressure is building up.”
On whether India will make efforts to have dialogue with Pakistan, the Home Minister said New Delhi wants friendly relations with not only Pakistan but with all the neighbouring countries as well as others nations across the world.
“There should be efforts from Pakistan side too to maintain cordial relations. We always want friendly relations. But from their side, there should be at least talk of friendship. There should be feeling to make friendship (by Pak)… But I believe, sometime sooner some breakthrough will come,” he said.
The Home Minister said even though India wants to maintain cordial relations with its neighbouring countries, sometimes, some neighbours indulge in some acts which need to be protested diplomatically.
Asked whether India will, on its own, take the initiative to have dialogue with Pakistan, he said, “Let’s see. We will wait. We will see what Pakistan does (in coming days).”
When reminded that Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had made his intention clear by announcing that he would like to have talks first with Kashmiri separatists before engaging in dialogue with India, the Home Minister said if Pakistan’s stand is clear, then our stand is also clear.”
Meanwhile, BJP will not make the abrogation of Article 370 an election issue in Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Rajnath Singh today indicated even as he said that attempts were being made by rival parties to create fear psychosis over the matter.
“As elections in Jammu and Kashmir are round the corner, there is an attempt to create a sense of fear by our political opponents. We want to say, ‘why are you trying raise the issue (Art. 370 of the Constitution) during Assembly polls?’. In Assembly elections, the issues which should come are good governance, development, etc.,” Singh said.
The Home Minister at the same time said BJP believes that there should be a debate on the utility of Art. 370 — which grants special status to J&K –within the State and across the country.
“Our party believes that there should be a debate on Art. 370. We believe that due to Art. 370, Jammu and Kashmir is not getting any benefit. I want, our party wants, our Government wants that there should be debate on Art. 370 in Jammu and Kashmir (and) in the whole country,” he said.
Singh said that in a democracy, there should be a debate on each and every issue.
“Some times, there is a need for debate. We have said there should be a debate on Art. 370. People should discuss what are the advantages, what are the disadvantages,” he said. The five-phased Assembly elections in J&K will begin on Nov. 25.
Meanwhile, asked whether there was any initiative for the phased withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in J&K, Singh said no decision has been taken on that yet and the NDA Government would like to wait for some time to watch the situation on the ground.
“As far as AFSPA is concerned, we want to wait for some more time. We will see. We want to normalise the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. As of now, there is no decision for withdrawal of AFSPA. We will see in the future,” he said. (PTI)
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