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Centre not keen to continue
dialogue NEW DELHI, July 15: Making it clear that the Mumbai blasts had put a "question mark" on the peace initiative with Pakistan, India today said "it is becoming difficult" for it to take forward the process between the two countries. New Delhi also made it obvious that the Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries that were expected on July 20 will not take place, saying the possible dates for the meeting were never determined by it and a decision in this regard will be taken at an appropriate time. "Each time such incidents take place, we point out that our ability, like in any democracy, to take the peace process forward is dependent on public opinion," he told reporters here. "We have to take people along. Every time something like the deadly incident (of Mumbai) takes place, it undermines public opinion. Negative public opinion and anger is created and whether we like it or not, it puts a question mark on the process," Saran said. Refusing to specify what could be the threshold for tolerance of terrorism, he said "as a result of this terrible terrorist incident, it is becoming difficult to take the peace process forward." Government has already made it clear that in view of continued cross-border terrorism, it is not keen to continue the dialogue process for the moment. Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said the Mumbai terror attack has "vitiated" the atmosphere for talks and that the parleys can be held at an "appropriate time". Another Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said the talks with Pakistan is not on New Delhi’s immediate agenda. Asked about the fate of the Foreign Secretary-level talks that were proposed to take place on July 20, Saran said the schedule for the parleys on various issues of the third round of composite dialogue was outlined when it started. The third round is to be followed by a review meeting of Foreign Secretaries and Foreign Ministers, he said. "What has not been determined, at least from our side, are the possible dates and we will take a decision at an appropriate time," Saran said. He, however, emphasised that India was "very much committed" to the peace process with Pakistan and pointed out that New Delhi had initiated a number of confidence-building measures, most of which relate to Jammu and Kashmir. "I don’t think anybody should have any doubt over India’s commitment to take the dialogue process forward but we have said it again and again that our ability to take the peace process forward is very integral to fulfillment (by Pakistan) of the solemn, unambiguous commitments enshrined in the January 6, 2004 joint statement," he said. In the joint statement, Pakistan has committed itself not to allow any part of its territory to be used by terrorists against India, he noted. (PTI) |
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Another attack kills one, injures
six Excelsior Correspondent Srinagar, July 15: In yet another grenade attack at a crowded place today, militants lobbed a grenade at Beehama Chowk in Ganderbal, en-route Amarnath Yatra, killing one civilian and injuring six others. People took to streets against the attack and protested demanding identification of the killers, who have been unleashing terror on civilians. A Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was killed in an encounter with troopers at Kulgam. Police also foiled an exfiltration bid in Lolab, Kupwara and arrested six persons, including two HM activists. In the continuing violence targeted at civilians, as per the sources, one person was killed and six others injured, when suspected militants hurled a grenade in a crowded market place of Beehama Chowk in Ganderbal today. According to sources, militants at around 1305 hours lobbed a grenade towards the picket of 152 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Beehama Chowk. The grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the roadside, claiming one civilian and injuring six others. The deceased was identified as Ghulam Ahmad Khan 50, son of Azeem-ud-din Khan of Beehama, Ganderbal. The injured, who were immediately hospitalized, were identified as Ghulam Mohammed Rather, Abdur Rasheed Rather, both from Ganderbal, Altaf Ahmed Gujri of Tulmulla, Aijaz Ahmed Dar of Chadoora, Abdur Rehman Sheikh, Mohammed Yaseen of Armpora Ganderbal. People, soon after the blast, took to streets and protested against the attack on civilians. Hundreds of protestors blocked the Srinagar National Highway, which is also used by the pilgrims going to the Amarnath cave shrine for hours together. Shouting slogans against the attackers, the protestors urged upon the Government to identify them and punish them severely. One Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was killed in an encounter at Kulgam during the preceding night, sources said. Defense sources said that troops of 9RR laid an ambush for the suspected militants in Mahabhan in Kulgam, during which they noticed suspicious movement. Sources said that the troopers challenged the suspect, who in turn opened fire at them. The fire was returned and in the ensuing gunfight, one militant was killed who was identified as Abu Abdullah of Pakistan affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba. Troops recovered two identity cards - one bearing name of Nazeer Ahmed Tantray of Hapat Nar Pahalgam while other having a Pakistani address with name as Azhar Iqbal of Lahore, Pakistan from the possession of the slain militant. One AK rifle and some arms and ammunition were also recovered from the encounter site. Sources said that Army averted a major tragedy by detecting a 2.5-kg IED placed in a gas cylinder at Sathoo Anantnag, which was later defused by a bomb disposal squad. Meanwhile, police today claimed to have foiled an ex-filtration bid by arresting four young children besides two activists of Hizbul Mujahideen from Lolab Kupwara. SP Awantipora, Sardar Khan said that Police had specific information about six persons of the area including four young kids in the age group of 9-10 attempting to cross LoC via Lolab for seeking arms training. A special team of the Police was formed that left for Kupwara and in coordination with Kupwara Police arrested all the six from a mosque in a far flung village of Lolab, the SP said. Identifying the children as Sabzar Ahmed Bhat, son of Mohammed Akbar of Gund Tral, Aadil Hussain Mir, son of Nazir Ahmed of Noorabad Tral, Aaqib Ahmed Mir, son of Mohammed Maqbool and Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, son of Nazir Ahmed, both of Malar Tral, the SP said that they were threatened and also lured on the promises of paying money and taken along by two Hizb militants to cross into Pakistani part of Kashmir for seeking training in arms. Police identified the other two arrested persons as Ali Mohammed Kumar and Merajudin Khanday claiming that both were Hizbul Mujahideen cadres. The children have been handed over to their families while as the Hizbul men are being interrogated, Mr Khan said. |
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Grenade attack on Army vehicle Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 15: A Pakistani militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), who was among a group of four militants descending to a village from Paddar in Kishtwar tehsil of Doda district reportedly with a view to execute a massacre, was shot dead by Doda police in wee hours of this morning. Militants lobbed a grenade on an Army vehicle that missed the target, averting a major tragedy at, Mankote in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district this afternoon. SSP Doda Manohar Singh said a police party had laid a naka at Kindru nullah under the jurisdiction of Atholi police station last night after developing a specific information that a group of four Pakistani militants was moving towards a populated village from upper reaches of Paddar with a plan to kill the civilians. In view of darkness in the area, police and security forces could intercept only one militant as the group was moving separately to avoid their detection by police or security forces. In the encounter that lasted few minutes, the Pakistani militant identified as Abu Sofiyan, was killed by the police personnel. One AK rifle with one magazine, one Chinese pistol with one magazine and two rounds and one pouch were recovered from Sofiyan, who belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit. Police didn’t suffer any casualties in the operation. With the killing of Abu Sofiyan, his associates were reported to have retrieved to their hide-outs. The killing also thwarted the militants’ plot to kill civilians, official sources said. A militant, hiding in grown up maize crop, lobbed a grenade towards an Army vehicle at Phogal nullah near Mankote in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district at 2.10 pm today. The grenade, however, missed the intended target by few yards and exploded in front of the Army vehicle, averting a major catastrophe. The vehicle was packed to capacity. Army jawans immediately took positions and fanned out in the area to trace the militant. However, he managed to escape taking cover of the grown up crop. Police parties also reached the spot for investigations. A Hizbul Mujahideen militant Bashir Ahmed s/o Noor-ud-Din R/o Chellali, Ramban surrendered before Army today along with one SLR, one magazine and 63 rounds. Troops of 59 Rashtriya Rifles arrested two Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of the militants from village Fulaskot in Mahore last night. They have been identified as Mohd Abdullah and Shahwali, both brothers and sons of Ghulam Mohd. Duo were brother of a top LeT militant, Manzoor Ahmed. They have been sent for questioning to ascertain their links with Manzoor and other Lashkar militants. Security forces recovered one .303 rifle and 100 meters electric wire from Gantak nullah in Bhadarwah. |
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Cong loses Hiranagar Committee Excelsior Correspondent HIRANAGAR, July 15: After unexpected victory in election of the chairman of Rajouri Municipal Council, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) today wrested chairmanship of the Hiranagar Municipal Committee from by Congress due to cross voting by two members of the ruling party. BJP candidate Rajeev Jasrotia emerged victorious in the election of the chairman despite being the fact that the party has only three councilors in the 13 member committee. Former chairman of the Committee, Zalim Singh expired last year so there were total 12 votes in the Committee. Rajeev Jasrotia, who was supported by two members of National Conference, got seven out of total 12 polled votes. His rival Congress candidate, Roop Lal Gupta got only five votes. Similarly, for the post of vice-president BJP supported NC candidate Bharti got eight votes while as his rival Chant Purni-an independent candidate supported by Congress secured only three votes while as one vote was declared invalid. In the 12 member committee, Congress has a strength of five followed by three BJP, two NC and two independents. Both the independents had supported Congress. Worthwhile to mention here that Congress had emerged victorious in election of the Hiranagar Municipal Committee with six members. Party’s candidate late Zalim Singh was elected as chairman of the Committee while as Congress supported independent candidate Chint Purni was elected as vice-chairperson. Due to sudden death of the chairman, Congress’ strengthen was reduced to five from six. After the death of the chairman, vice-chairperson Chint Purni was also holding the charge of chairman. With two independents’ support, Congress had clear majority in the committee but party lost due to cross voting by two of its members. It is widely believed that Congress lost Hiranagar Municipal Committee due to infighting among two senior leaders of the party. Defeated party candidate Roop Lal Gupta is brother of the Congress district president, Subash Gupta. Pertinent to mention here that Congress also lost chairmanship of the prestigious Rajouri Municipal Council due to cross voting by the party members. |
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President award winner in police net for terror links NEW DELHI, July 15: The winner of President’s national awards is now in the custody of Delhi Police which suspects him of having links with terrorists. Aijaz Hussain Khwaja, arrested by the special cell of the Delhi Police on Monday for allegedly supplying money to suspected terror operatives, was one of the 44 winners of the President’s national awards for artisans and handicrafts in 2003, police said. Police had recovered 2.05 kg RDX and Rs 49 lakh in cash from his possession when he was arrested on Monday. Police claim that Khwaja used to collect money sent through Hawala channels by Pakistan-based militant Mukhtar Ahmed and supply it to suspected militants as per his directions. Police said he had already supplied Rs three crore to various militants operating in the country. Forty-three-year-old Hussain, who has been living in Jangpura locality of south Delhi for some time, was arrested when he reached the Lodhi road area in a car to apparently hand over the cash and explosives to someone. (PTI) |
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Yatris to be allowed from Jammu
today Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, July 15: After remaining suspended for three days due to inclement weather, the Amarnath yatra resumed today with over 12000 pilgrims leaving for the cave shrine since morning. Nearly 12000 pilgrims left from Pahalgam and Baltal routes to the cave shrine today, Madan Mantoo, spokesman of Amarnath Shrine Board told the Excelsior. In addition, he said 242 pilgrims left for the 3880 metre high cave shrine by air today. The yatra remained suspended for the past three days because of snowfall and rains enroute to the cave making the track slippery. However, 5372 stranded pilgrims had darshan at the cave shrine yesterday, Mantoo said. Mantoo termed media reports suggesting that 200 pilgrims had narrow escape yesterday when their tents were buried under soil and mudslides at Baltal base camp as factually incorrect. Landslides and mudslides occurred due to torrential rains but there was no threat to life as such because the pilgrims had been shifted to pre-fabricated accommodation erected by at the base camp, Mantoo said. Meanwhile, one more pilgrim died in a local hospital taking the death toll in the ongoing yatra to 36. Narinder Sarkar of West Bengal who was admitted in a hospital on July 11 passed away last evening, official sources said today. They said with the passing away of Sarkar the number of pilgrims who died in the ongoing yatra so far has gone up to 36 this year. However, the yatra remained suspended from Jammu for the fourth consecutive day today even as the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was open for one-way traffic, officials sources said. Authorities did not allow the yatra to proceed from the base camp of Maulana Azad Stadium here in view of reports of bad weather at Baltal and Pahalgam. According to SSP Jammu Mukesh Singh, 4,000 stranded pilgrims will be allowed from Jammu tomorrow morning to leave for Pahalgam and Baltal base camps. One way traffic has resumed on 300 km highway since yesterday, they added. Meanwhile, pilgrims continued to arrive from all parts of the country in Jammu to undertake the yatra but they are stuck up in different pilgrim centres, including M A Stadium, awaiting clearance by authorities to proceed for yatra, they said. Approximately 6,000 to 8,000 such pilgrims are lodged at different pilgrim centers in Jammu where food and shelter is being provided to them. Metrological Department has predicted that there would be cloudy sky with rain and thunder showers for next 24 hours along Banihal-Pahalgam and Banihal-Baltal sectors. |
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Khanday's remand extended for 14
more days Excelsior Correspondent Srinagar, July 15: While as the judicial remand of sex scam accused senior bureaucrat Iqbal Khanday and hotelier Riyaz Kawa was extended for 14 more days, Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar today ordered the case of bail applications of sex scam accused be committed to Principal District and Sessions Judge Srinagar for further trial. Amid tight security arrangements, nine accused of infamous sex scandal were brought to CJM Court Srinagar today. At around 1430 hours, nine accused, DIG BSF SK Padhi, DSP Mohammed Ashraf Mir, former AAG Anil Sethi, kingpin Sabeena, her husband Abdul Hameed Billa, Bashir Ahmed Langoo, Shabeer Kala, Mehraj-ud-din Malik, hotelier Riyaz Kawa, Masood Ahmed and Iqbal Khanday were brought to the court. The court ordered the extension of judicial remand of Iqbal Khanday and Riyaz Kawa for 14 more days, whose judicial remand was to expire today. The CBI also produced a detailed decoded charge sheet before the court, as was ordered earlier. The copies of the coded charge sheet were also provided to the accused. However, the accused Anil Sethi objected to the language of the charge sheet saying that it was beyond his comprehension. The court later ordered that all the accused, along with witnesses and evidences shall be brought before the Court of Principal and Sessions Judge on July 18, the day when the case has been listed for the next hearing. The court also ordered the commitment of bail applications of accused DIG BSF, DSP Ashraf, Sabeena, Shabeer Kala, Mehraj-ud-din and Masood Ahmed to Sessions Court, while as the bail applications of Riyaz Kawa and former minister Raman Mattoo have been listed for July 17 in CJM's court. Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar today dismissed the bail applications of the 'sex scam' accused Ghulam Ahmed Mir and Mohammad Iqbal Khanday even as the court is scheduled to conduct a hearing on similar petitions filed by a number of other accused through the Superintendent of Srinagar Central Jail. Later the CBI DIG Pankaj Kumar while speaking to reporters outside the court complex said that nobody would be allowed to run away from the law and whosoever comes under the CBI net with strong evidences would be booked under the law. When he was asked that the investigations, of late, have lost the pace, Pankaj said that the investigating agency had to spare too much time in court trials. "See what happens in coming days," Pankaj said while boarding his vehicle. The CJM Court had on Friday disposed off the bail petitions of the detained former Minister Ghulam Ahmed Mir and IAS officer Iqbal Khanday, on the pretext that the release of the accused could influence evidences and hamper the investigations. CBI had on Friday argued that Khanday's release was likely to influence the investigation as he was holding a senior position in the State bureaucracy. CJM agreed with the arguments offered by the CBI counsel and turned down bail to Mir and Khanday. CBI is also to complete its final report by Monday, July 17, and produce it before the division bench of State High Court on that day. The DB had directed that all the case diaries and statements of the accused and the witnesses be completed with an increased pace and submitted on July 17th. |
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Musharraf not keeping words: Pranab SANTINIKETAN, July 15: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today flayed Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for not "keeping his words" to dismantle terrorist camps in that country and said the terrorists are infiltrating into India from Pakistan. Inaugurating a new building of Bolpur Bar Association, Mr Mukherjee said here, "terrorists are using Pakistan’s land. The Pakistan President should keep his words." Speaking on reservation, Standing Committee on Reservation chairman Mr Mukherjee said, "various new laws and jargons have been coined." "According to a recent Supreme Court verdict, ‘creamy layers’ should not be included. We do not have a clear definition of this word. This word needs to be clarified," he added. (UNI) |
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SRINAGAR, July 15: Asserting that fencing along the Line of Control has helped reduce infiltration in Kashmir, Army today said infiltration from across the border was continuing but has shown no drastic increase. Infiltration (by militants) is a little more than last year but nothing very drastic, General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15th Corps Lt Gen S S Dhillon told reporters here today. Without giving comparative figures or actual numbers of intruders who had sneaked into Kashmir from across the border, Dhillon said this year infiltration picked up in May instead of June because of less snow (on the possible infiltration tracks). Mountain tops on the border remained snow-bound during winter months but infiltration picks up as the snow starts melting in late May or early June. Dhillon said fencing along the Line of Control had helped reduce infiltration into Kashmir. In reply to a question he said militant training camps still exist across the Line of Control. The Army officer said militants carried out over 100 grenade attacks since January, killing 34 civilians and wounding around 370 in the Valley. Nearly a dozen of the attacks were aimed at tourists killing 15 and injuring 70 of them, he said. Referring to militant activities Dhillon said in 2004 we were more worried about Fidayeen attacks but last year it was car bombs and this year it is grenade attacks. He said that the Army had recovered over 2,900 grenades this year during counter-insurgency operations. (PTI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, July 15: Two civilians were injured in a grenade blast at Old Bus Stand in Kishtwar town of Doda district tonight. Official sources said a militant tossed a grenade towards Old Bus Stand, Kishtwar, near a Ziarat, at 8.45 pm, aiming a joint patrol of police and para-military personnel. The grenade exploded causing injuries to two passers-by, both locals. Injured have been admitted in Sub District Hospital, Kishtwar. Police and para-military have launched a search operation in Kishtwar town to trace the militant involved in the grenade attack. However, no arrests have been made so far. |
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NEW DELHI, July 15: A visit of a two-member delegation of MPs to Pakistan to attend a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association seminar next week has been called off in the wake of the Mumbai serial blasts, suspected to have been engineered with support from across the border. CPI(M)Rajya Sabha member Brinda Karat and Congress MP from East Delhi Sandeep Dixit have cancelled their visit to Islamabad for the seminar on gender issues being held from July 17, Lok Sabha sources said. The sources said the cancellation followed advice from the Ministry of External Affairs. Dixit, son of Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit, said it would not be in the fitness of things for him to visit Pakistan now. "The fact is I will be going as an MP and it will not be the right time to go there," he said. In strong words, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in Mumbai yesterday that the blasts could not have been carried out with such devasting effect without support from across the border and had indicated that the peace process could come under strain due to such attacks. "We are certain that these terror modules are instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border without which they cannot act with such devastating effects," he had said. (PTI) |
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AMRITSAR, July 15: Ten kg heroin worth Rs 10 crore in the international market, along with Rs five lakh fake currency and opium were seized from two different places including the Raja Sansi international airport in Punjab this morning. According to police officials seven kg heroin was seized from a Canada bound passenger at the Raja Sansi airport here by a joint team of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Customs and Punjab CID. The drug, wrapped in aluminium foil, was concealed in the baggage of one Gurinder Singh who was to board the Indian Delhi-Tronto flight from here. Though the X-ray machine failed to detect the drug it was found on manual search. The DRI and the state CID had information about the contraband. Police said that Gurinder Singh a resident of Khela village in Ludhiana district had been handed over the heroin by a smuggler in Jammu a couple of days back. It had been smuggled from Afghanistan through Pakistan and was to be sold in Canada. The Chandigarh police had early this month arrested a Canada based NRI woman with three kg heroin near Zirakpur. The local police has arrested Gurinder Singh under the NDPS Act. In the second incident the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered three kg heroin, 200 gms opium and Rs five lakh fake Indian currency from a well in Jugichakwala village in the Ferozpur sector this morning, BSF DIG R S Pawar said. According to Mr Pawar the entire contraband had been wrapped in a plastic sheet and thrown into the well owned by one Jagdish Singh. The BSF had information about the contraband which had been smuggled from Pakistan and dumped into the well. Mr Pawar said that Jagdish Singh could not be arrested as he was not in the village when the raid was conducted. However, a case under the NDPS act had been registered against Jagdish, who still remains at large. (UNI) PM demands ‘firm commitment’ from Pakistan on terrorism ON BOARD PM’S SPECIAL AIRCRAFT, July 16: Sending a tough message, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today demanded a "firm commitment" from Pakistan backed by "action on the ground" that its territory will not be used to support terror acts directed against India. Singh, on a three-day visit to St Petersburg to attend the outreach session of the G-8 summit, made it clear that the peace process with Islamabad cannot go forward if terrorism "aided and abetted from outside" continues to take a heavy toll of lives of innocent men, women and children. "There has to be a firm commitment that Pakistani territory is not used to support terrorist acts directed against our country...But the commitment has to be backed by action on the ground," Singh told reporters on board the special aircraft "Air India-1" on the way to the venue of the summit. At the same time, Singh underpinned the importance of the two countries having a pragmatic vision, and moving away from the old mindset and shackles of the past. "We must find new pathways to establish friendly relations. I think both our countries need peace and stability and to be free from terrorism. This is necessary if we have to realise our immense developmental potential and also potential for cooperation that exists between our two countries," the Prime Minister said. Referring to the terror attacks in Mumbai and Srinagar, he said India and Pakistan have an obligation to work together. "But in a democracy, there are limits to what leaderships can do...With terrorists elements having a free time," he said. Singh, however, refrained from making a frontal attack on President Pervez Musharraf on being asked by reporters whether India’s assessment of the Pakistani leader has changed in the past year-and-a-half. "In all these matters, there is a learning process," he said and went on to add that Musharraf "is president of Pakistan and we have to deal with people who are in Government. So I would not like to use any harsh words." Singh said "we have not spoken to Musharraf over telephone" but maintained that contacts had been established with Pakistan at various levels. The Prime Minister, who will meet US President George W Bush, Russian President Vladmir Putin and other world leaders in St Petersburg, said he would sensitise them about India’s concerns particularly on terrorism. With the Mumbai and Srinagar attacks casting their ominous shadow, Singh will make a strong pitch to the international community to come out with an unambiguous and united stand to defeat the scourge. In a departure statement in Delhi, Singh said he would impress on the leaders that the world community must adopt an approach of "zero tolerance" for terrorism anywhere. "The international community must isolate and condemn terrorism wherever they attack, whatever their cause and whichever country or group provides them sustenance and support," he stressed. Pointedly asked whether he saw a Pakistani hand in the Mumbai blasts, Singh hinted at such an involvement. "The terrorist acts were on a scale that could not be accomplished without some external involvement. That is what I would like to say at this stage," he said. New Delhi strongly suspects that Pakistan’s ISI backed the terror outfits involved in the recent attacks in Mumbai and Srinagar. Indian officials have found it hard to believe claims that the Pakistani establishment was kept in the dark over the ISI’s designs. The Prime Minister is accompanied by National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and his wife Gursharan Kaur. India’s Ambassador to Russia Kanwal Sibal will be part of the PM’s delegation. Singh, who has a packed schedule, will have a 40-minute meeting with Bush tomorrow morning, during which they will review developments since the US leader’s visit to India in March this year. Progress of the US legislation for granting permanent waivers for nuclear commerce, developments in the US Congress and India’s concerns about "certain aspects" about the legislations already conveyed to the Bush administration will also figure during the meeting, the Prime Minister said. (PTI) |
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No troop cut in J&K as long as Pak helps terrorists KOLKATA, July 16: India today ruled out reduction in troops in Jammu and Kashmir until Pakistan keeps its promise of not allowing its territory to be used by terrorists against it. "There is no question of a troop reduction from Kashmir as long as infiltration (of terrorists) from across the border continues. How can we reduce troops as long as Pakistan does not keep its promise of not allowing its land to be used by terrorists against India?" Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said. Speaking at a convention against terrorism organised here by WBPCC, he accused Pakistan of following double standards saying although the Musharraf Government was bombing Taliban hideouts in Waziristan, it was allowing 39 launching pads to operate in PoK from where relentless efforts were being made to send terrorists into India. "On January 16, 2004, Musharraf said he would not allow Pakistani territory to be used by terrorists. We are saying to him ‘dislodge the terrorists’ camps and stop giving them logistic support ... Terrorists are not coming into India from Mars or Siberia. They are coming from the other side of the border," the Defence Minister said. Since Pakistan could not capture Kashmir even after the wars in 1947, 1965, 1971 and the Kargil intrusion in 1999, it was following the doctrine of ‘bleeding India through a thosand scars,’ he said adding the attacks in Kashmir, on Parliament, Akshardham, Raghunath and Sankatmochan Temples, the Indian Institute of Science and the recent blasts in Mumbai are part of the gameplan, Mukherjee said. Pointing out that terrorist outfits like Al-Qaida and LeT were not being able to recruit Jehadis from India despite its huge Muslim population, Mukherjee said that was why the terrorists were carrying out attacks to ‘provoke’ the people and destabilise the country. "There is a method in this madness," he said. Pointing out that terrorists have killed 65,000 innocent people over the past 16 years, the Defence Minister said this was three times the total number of soldiers killed in the three wars with Pakistan in 1947, 1965 and 1971. Instead of confining their attacks on military personnel, the terrorists have now resorted to targetting civilians, he said adding the only solution to this was public alertness. "Whenever a terrorist attack takes place, people say it is because of the intelligence failure. This is an over-simplification. We must remain alert," he said. Lauding the manner in which Mumbai has bounced back to normalcy after this week’s blasts, Mukherjee said, "we must strengthen our nerves. Any one, including me, can be a victim of terrorism. But if we cringe, the purpose of the terrorists will be served. They want to create a sensation." He said there is no question of withdrawal of confidence-building measures like the Amritsar-Lahore bus service as that was exactly what the terrorists wanted. (PTI) |
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