Antony gives in to BJP
10 Aug 2013 5:22 AM IST
Ending the controversy over the statement made by defence minister AK Antony on 6 August, the BJP on Friday came out in support of the government after Antony issued a fresh statement in Parliament. The minister, in his statement, said Pakistani troops were involved in the attack on LoC, in which five Indian soldiers were killed.
‘We are happy the defence minister has accepted his mistake and tried to rectify it. He has said the Pakistan army was involved and that our restraint should not be taken for granted,’ said leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, after Antony’s fresh statement in the House.
Swaraj, while criticising the Congress, suggested those who had alleged the BJP was playing politics over the killings were wrong and they should know that the party was trying to correct the defence minister’s statement made on 6 August. Swaraj said the opposition was not playing politics but wanted to express the commitment of the nation on the issue and send a message to Pakistan that it cannot commit such acts again.
‘The opposition supports your statement and we have been successful in saying in one voice that Pakistan cannot resort to such acts,’ said Swaraj, who also added that the government should ensure that such a mistake is not repeated.
While the BJP insisted that the Antony statement issue is closed, the party renewed its demand that prime minister Manmohan Singh should not hold any talks with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York. ‘I think the prime minister should take a cue from Obama who had cancelled his meeting with Putin only on giving an asylum to somebody who was wanted by USA,’ said senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi.
The BJP leader added there is sufficient ground not to hold a dialogue with the neighbouring country. The main Opposition had made this clear at a meeting between the Prime Minister and its top brass on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday sought to assuage feelings in India by expressing ‘sadness’ over the recent incidents on the LoC and ‘loss of precious human lives’ that sparked tensions between the two countries.
‘We are happy the defence minister has accepted his mistake and tried to rectify it. He has said the Pakistan army was involved and that our restraint should not be taken for granted,’ said leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, after Antony’s fresh statement in the House.
Swaraj, while criticising the Congress, suggested those who had alleged the BJP was playing politics over the killings were wrong and they should know that the party was trying to correct the defence minister’s statement made on 6 August. Swaraj said the opposition was not playing politics but wanted to express the commitment of the nation on the issue and send a message to Pakistan that it cannot commit such acts again.
‘The opposition supports your statement and we have been successful in saying in one voice that Pakistan cannot resort to such acts,’ said Swaraj, who also added that the government should ensure that such a mistake is not repeated.
While the BJP insisted that the Antony statement issue is closed, the party renewed its demand that prime minister Manmohan Singh should not hold any talks with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York. ‘I think the prime minister should take a cue from Obama who had cancelled his meeting with Putin only on giving an asylum to somebody who was wanted by USA,’ said senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi.
The BJP leader added there is sufficient ground not to hold a dialogue with the neighbouring country. The main Opposition had made this clear at a meeting between the Prime Minister and its top brass on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday sought to assuage feelings in India by expressing ‘sadness’ over the recent incidents on the LoC and ‘loss of precious human lives’ that sparked tensions between the two countries.
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