Testfire Agni-III and deploy it in military, Rajnath tells Centre

Bangalore, June 3 (UNI) Bharatiya Janata Party President Rajnath Singh today urged the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre to accord permission to Indian scientists to testfire the long range version of Agni-III missiles and hand it over to the military.

Addressing a huge congregation of the State BJP Yuva Morcha convention 'Saamarasya' here, he alleged that while the hostile neighbouring countries were testing their missile programmes and deploying it in their armed forces, the UPA Government was maintaining self restraint in the matter.

Mr Singh charged the UPA Government with not taking any decision on the deployment of Agni-III missiles to maintain minimum nuclear deterrance following pressure from the US. The negative attitude of the Government had pushed the scientists who had developed the technology to frustration. The military planners were also worried about neighbouring countries gaining an upper hand, while India was dillydallying on the issue, he claimed.

He held the Government soft pedalling the issue responsible for the increasing incidence of terrorist attacks and insurgency in the country. Taking exception to the UPA Government involving the Hurriyat Conference in the Round Table Conference seeking to end violence in the troubled Jammu and Kashmir, he asked the Prime Minister to keep them away until they changed their stand that Pakistan should also participate in any discussion on the vexed issue.

Alleging that Pakistan's ISI was behind all the terrorist activities and violence in the country, the BJP leader urged the UPA Government to take the issue to the United Nations Security Council and make efforts to declare Pakistan a terrorist State.

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