Rajnath Singh demands ISI bases be wiped out

Lucknow, Apr 21: BJP president Rajnath Singh today asked the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government to initiate ''direct action'' to wipe out ISI bases in West and East UP.

Addresing reporters here after his Bharat Suraksha Yatra reached the state capital early this morning, Mr Singh said after the admission of UP Director General of Police (DGP) that ISI and terror outfits had established bases not only in West UP, but also 'Purvanchal', direct action must be taken.

''If not done immediately, we may witness a host of problems and the central and UP governments will be directly responsible.'' He said any delay in action could prove disasterous.

The BJP president also demanded an ''integrated action plan'' by the Centre after taking into confidence the chief ministers of Naxal affected states. ''The recent meeting of the Prime Minister with CMs of Naxal-affected states was a mere formality...it failed to evolve any concrete action plan against the menace.'' He said the Centre should make efforts to put ISI on international watch after taking into confidence UNSC members.

''There are reports that the ISI had prior knowledge of the attack on the World Trade Centre at New York...Pakistan has now turned into the world's terror capital. Countries having friendly relations with Islamabad should understand its true face.'' ''The Indo-Nepal border is porous and attracts several people on either sides. With information trickling in that the ISI have established links with Maoists in Nepal, a close vigil on the border becomes all the more imperative.'' Mr Singh also sought the people's attention on Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee's yesterday's statement that Naxalites and terrorists were receiving international help.

Talking to newspersons in Allahabad yesterday, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister claimed the ISI was running 200 centres in Bangladesh and India, although Dhaka denies the existence of such dens in its territory.

''The government should destroy these dens of terrorism by taking the international community and opposition parties into confidence.'' Mr Singh said they posed a danger to India's security, besides disturbing the communal harmony.

He urged the government to undertake the fencing along the Bangladesh border on a priority basis to check infiltration and if that country created hurdles, ''it should be dealt with firmly''.

UNI

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