'UPA ignoring situation in neighbouring nations'

Jodhpur, Jul 10: Expressing concern over the worsening internal situation developing in the neighbouring countries, former External Affairs Minister and BJP leader Jaswant Singh today said the Centre has no fixed policies to deal with the matter.

While speaking to reporters at the Circuit House here, Mr Singh said China had built a strategic base at the Chittagong port in Bangladesh and is trying to use it and his party has written to the Prime Minister over the matter but he is yet to take any step in this regard.

He said the Centre considered Bangladeshi infiltrators as a votebank and was ignoring the problem totally. But if the infiltration was not stopped immediately, it would become a major problem for India later as it will soon pose a threat to the country's social and democratic fabric and security.

He said the US army presence in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Gulf countries had resulted in instability in those countries which was not good from India's point of view.

He said India should analyse Nepal's situation independently and come out clear on the Nepal-Indo relations keeping in mind the turmoil and political changes in the Himalayan kingdom recently.

Mr Singh, who is also the Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha, said he found Pakistan's internal situation adverse during his visit to the country. He said the outcome of the various levels of talks between the two countries should be made public. He also criticised the UPA government's Kashmir policy.

He said the UPA government had not only encouraged the Maoists but also had joined hands with these outfits to win the elections.

UNI