HVK Archives: Basu admits to ISI presence in Bengal
Basu admits to ISI presence in Bengal - The Economic Times
Calcutta Bureau
()
December 10, 1998
Title: Basu admits to ISI presence in Bengal
Author: Calcutta Bureau
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: December 10, 1998
In what can give a new dimension to the Vajpayee government's
endeavour to table a white paper on Pakistan's Inter-Service
Intelligence (ISI) activities in India, West Bengal chief
minister and veteran CPI-M leader, Jyoti Basu on Wednesday said
the members of the Pakistani outfit were present in the state.
This is the first time Mr Basu publicly admitted the presence of
ISI in the state.
"The state government was having talks with the army as well as
the civilians in this regard," Mr Basu told newspersons after
inaugurating an exhibition of captured arms, ammunition and
equipments organised by the Eastern Command Head Quarters. The
arms were captured during the ongoing proxy war at Jammu and
Kashmir and North-Eastern Fronts.
Mr Basu said, "We must help these forces by dealing with the
problem politically too." Mr Basu was replying a volley of
questions related to a recent Army report about the outfit's
operation in the state and even in the metropolis.
Reacting to media queries he said, "Yes it is there in the state
arid we are having talks with the Army. Whatever we have to say
we will tell that to army and not you."
The chief minister also congratulated the Army and other forces
for their endeavour in safeguarding the country's unity and
integrity by risking lives. And expressed satisfaction with the
way such insurgency is being confronted by the army.
The GOC-In-C, Eastern Command, Lt Gen H R S Kalkat said the
situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern Front were
"under control".
Army officials present at the display said since 1990 in Jammu
and Kashmir front alone 9,300 people were killed and 33,907
apprehended in insurgency-related violence, while 26,000 weapons
were recovered.
About 1,021 people were killed and over 10,000 injured in
Nagaland, Manipur and Assam in North-East, the officials said
adding that control of ULFA over the people in Assam were
diluted.
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