The Hindu : National : `Attack hideouts in Pakistan'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 13, 2006

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`Attack hideouts in Pakistan'

Special Correspondent

India should back Israel's war: Rajnath

PANAJI: Expressing concern over growing cross border terrorism, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh has demanded that India should take the international community into confidence and "attack terrorist hideouts and groups in Pakistan and Bangladesh to dismantle them."

Talking to presspersons on Saturday during his two-day visit to the State, Mr. Singh, in reply to a question over the practicality of his formula, said he wanted India to take the help of international bodies such as the United Nations to build confidence in the international community to take this course to target and eliminate the terrorist hideouts in India's neighbourhood. But he made it clear that this action should in no way hurt the civilians. Drawing a parallel, he backed Israel's war against terrorism in Lebanon except the killing of civilians.

"India should come to the support of Israel in its fight against terrorism and initiate diplomatic efforts to disarm Hizbollah," he said.

Criticising the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government for its "passivity and inaction" over the issue of terrorism, Mr. Singh said it was no secret that neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have virtually developed into a terrorist hub posing a grave danger to the security of India.

Blames Pathak Authority

Commenting on the oil for food scam, Mr. Singh blamed the Pathak Authority for "absolving the Congress on the basis of presumptions." The BJP President charged it with failing to record the statement of Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Quoting former Minister for External Affairs Natwar Singh's latest statements, Mr. Rajnath Singh argued that it was now clear that Ms. Gandhi knew everything Mr. Natwar Singh did in Iraq and northing was done without her prior permission.

"The account books of the All India Congress Committee should have been checked to ascertain whether the party was a non-contractual beneficiary of the food for oil deal," Mr. Singh said.

For the present impasse and non-functioning of Parliament, Mr. Singh held ruling Party responsible.

`Baseless allegation'

When asked to comment on the CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury's statement that the saffron party, by conducting Pokhran-II blasts, had brought India's stature to a parity with that of Pakistan, Mr. Singh described it as "baseless allegation on BJP" and went on to claim that Pokharan II was not only highly appreciated by Indian people, but also by scientists at all prominent institutions.

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