New Delhi, February 8
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today launched a frontal attack on Islamabad for promoting cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy and creating new hubs in Bangladesh and Nepal for executing the nefarious anti-India agenda of the ISI.
“The Pakistani establishment does not appear to be interested in establishing tension-free and good neighbourly relations with India by ending its proxy war against our country”, Mr Vajpayee said while speaking at the Chief Ministers’ Conference on Internal Security here today.
He said the “most disconcerting aspect of terrorism is that it is sponsored, supported and funded by Pakistan as a matter of its State policy”.
Mr Vajpayee’s assertion assumes significance in the wake of the decision of Islamabad to expel India’s Charge d’Affaires Sudhir Vyas in a tit-for-tat response.
Mr Vajpayee said Pakistan has taken no significant action against training camps and infrastructure support to terrorism.
“The assurances given by the leadership in Islamabad on the issue of cross-border terrorism remain unfulfilled,” he said.
On the ISI spreading its tentacles to spread terror in India, the Prime Minister said that available report suggest that the territories of Nepal and Bangladesh are now being used by ISI to pursue its anti-India agenda.
Calling for more intensified efforts to counter terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, he suggested a two-fold response mechanism for the J&K Government : “ One, to strengthen the atmosphere of peace by dealing firmly with those intent on disturbing it and second to vigorously implement all developmental, welfare and employment generating programmes,” he said.
In an apparent reference to the Ayodhya issue, the Prime Minister said the verdict of the judiciary has to be accepted by all concerned.
“We have to give full play to the power of dialogue and negotiations in our attempt to resolve disputes. When a dispute cannot be resolved through negotiations, the verdict of judiciary has to be accepted by all concerned. No issue, howsoever, justified in the eyes of the one of the other party, can justify confrontation and communal violence. Law and interests of the nation are supreme,” Mr Vajpayee said.
The Prime Minister said the nation has learnt at great cost that sensitive issues should not be left unresolved.
“When circumstances bring such matters to court, people expect the judiciary to give its verdict expeditiously. This would enable all of us to leave behind contentious issues inherited from the past,” he said.
Expressing concern over the persisting problem of left-wing extremism (naxals) in certain states, he mooted the idea of a creating an intelligence-sharing mechanism under unified command.
“The situation is particularly worrisome, since it affects the most under-developed parts of
the country... I would like to emphasise the need to remove all shortcomings in intelligence sharing and mounting a well-coordinated anti-naxalite operations by the states concerned. If necessary, this should be done under a unified command,” he said.
In addition, the Prime Minister said that there was the need for setting up a central law enforcement agency to provide prompt, well-coordinated and effective action to deal with organised crime in the country.
“There have been many incidents of terrorist , extremist and criminal activities which have inter-state, regional and international linkages... I would like this conference to debate whether such an agency, bound by mutually-agreed operational norms and principles, would restrict the domain of state police or enhance their effectiveness,” Mr Vajpayee said.
Expressing satisfaction over the progress of peace talks with Naga insurgent group NSCN (I-M), the Prime Minister said that negotiations were also in progress with the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT). “We are confident that our peace talks with the BLT will soon yield a positive agreement,” he said.
