Cross border terrorism has not diminished: Cong

New Delhi, July 14: The Congress Party today said it stood committed to the ongoing peace process with Pakistan, but asserted that it could not rule out anything if terror tactics and violence continued without immediate improvement.

Denouncing the terror attacks on innocent people in Mumbai and Srinagar, AICC spokesman Abishek Manu Singhvi said it was unfortunately clear that cross border terrorism had neither diminished nor changed its form, colour, content and character.

''India does not believe either in suspension of talks or stop confidence building measures. But it cannot be one way street. It should be understood that India can hardly function in the environs of terror and destruction,'' he said.

Dr Singhvi said there was no appreciable, tangible reduction in cross border terrorism. It is open that interests inimical to India were allowed to function with impunity across the border.

While reiterating its commitment to peace process, the Congress urged upon the neighbouring country to show appreciable change at the ground level.

To a question on whether India would go ahead with the peace talks proposed with Pakitan, he said: ''If atmospehre does not improve immediately, we cannot rule out anything.'' ''The atmosphere is so vitiated so nothing can be ruled out,'' he said, adding that ''In the atmosphere of fear and terror, it is difficult for nations to talks.'' Asked what did he mean by ''nothing is ruled out'', Dr Singhvi said ''wait and watch.''

Asked if there was unanimity in the stand of government and the Congress on India's stand towards Pakistan in the post 7/11, he said ''We don't believe there is any diference in thought, sentiment and approach of the Congress and government on this issue.'' On the allegation that the UPA government had been soft on terror, he said the Congress did not want to play politics on such issues.

''It is a question of standing united. We don't believe in arithmetic.'' Asked about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav giving a clean chit to Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which is allegedly involved in the July 7 Mumbai bomb blasts, Dr Singhvi asked ''who is Mr Mulayam to give a clean chit in advance?'' He said nobody was entitled to give clean chit to any organisation, adding there was a land in this country for this purpose.

In this context, he said SIMI was a banned organisation and the matter was pending before the Supreme Court. ''This means somebody is playing politics.''

UNI