CHANDIGARH, Sept 23: In the absence of a conducive environment, India should not show any “hurry” to hold talks with Pakistan when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits New York later this month, BJP president Rajnath Singh said today.
He also said the government was not responding to repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan in the manner it should and not building enough international pressure against it to force it to desist from such activities.
“This month, the Prime Minister is going to New York. There are reports that he could meet his Pakistani counterpart there. I want to ask the PM that when there is no conducive environment, why should there be any hurry for talks?
He said the Prime Minister should clarify to the people what message the government intends to give to Pakistan if the talks are held.
“What message they (govt) want to give, the country needs a clarification from the Prime Minister. Because, when Mumbai terror attack happened, he had said at that time that no talks will be held with Pakistan till it acts against those involved in terror activities,” the BJP chief said while addressing a press conference here.
Singh arrived here last evening on a two-day visit and held meetings with party’s core groups of northern states — Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
He said the government was not responding to repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan in the manner it should.
“I am not saying that war is the only option…Why the government is not exercising its option to build diplomatic and international pressure? There are reports that there is pressure by some third force, which is why the government does not want to act. The Prime Minister should give some clarification in this regard,” he demanded.
He said internal and external security crises were increasing. (AGENCIES)