Author: Narendra Kaushik
Publication: Mid-Day
Date: December 18, 2001
Introduction: NDA leaders want action
against terror camps in Pak
"RESTAINT, what restraint? America
did not wait in Afghanistan. How can it tell us to be restrained?" ask
leaders in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance
after US Secretary of State Colin Powell advised India to observe restraint
with regard to military action against terror camps in Pakistan.
There have been calls to attack
camps there following Thursday's terrorist attack on Parliament in New
Delhi.
BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman
Vijay Kumar Malhotra did not mince words when criticising Uncle Sam for
double standards. "They did not wait (in Afghanistan). Yeh dohri mansikta
hai (These are double standards)," Malhotra said.
Omar Abdullah, minister of state
for external affairs, also made it clear that the government would go by
the opinion of its own people rather than the American advice. "People
of India don't want us to be restrained," Abdullah said, while adding that
India had a democratically elected government.
Reacting to Powell's statement that
Pakistan said it was taking action against the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the two groups believed to be behind Thursday's
attack, Abdullah said India had no reason to believe Pak.
He said India had heard enough words
from Pakistan and now wanted action. He said America had to be reminded
that restraint after the attack on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly resulted
in the attack on Parliament. He said he shuddered to imagine what might
follow Thursday's attack.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister L
K Advani is expected to give a statement to Parliament today. According
to Malhotra, Advani will not say anything on whether India will cross the
LoC (Line of Control) or not.
"The government will take a decision
on crossing the LoC," Malhotra said, adding that Opposition leaders - instead
of the entire Parliament - would be taken into confidence by the government
about the action.
The home minister may also speak
on POTO (Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance).
Malhotra also said that Pakistan's
nuclear status could not deter India from destroying terrorist training
camps across the border.
"Russia, the US and China have been
nuclear powers. But they were engaged in conflicts," he pointed out.
Abdullah and Malhotra claim that
the Congress has changed its stand on the issue of military action after
public pressure. The party, which earlier did not favour military action
against terror camps across the border, on Monday pledged support to any
"considered action" of the government.
