Terrorism: Jaswant launches broadside on UPA

Bangalore, Jul 16: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Defence Minister Jaswant Singh today lambasted the UPA Government at the Centre for having no clear-cut policy to fight terrorism in the country and alleged that it has established complicity with elements abetting such crimes for electoral gains.

Addressing a press conference here, he referred to the recent Mumbai bomb blasts, in which about two hundred innocent people were killed and hundreds injured, and said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement condemning the incident and warning to firmly deal with the anti-national elements responsible for it, lacked any commitment. The statement had neither the strength nor supporting policy nor conviction of action that should be in harmony with any Government policy in fighting against terrorism, he criticised.

Expressing serious concern over the Centre's attitude towards terrorist activities, he charged the UPA Government with doing disservice to the people of the country and national interests.

Mr Singh alleged that the Congress had compromised on national interests by establishing tacit understanding with the ULFA in the recently-held Assam elections. The party had also done the same thing in Andhra Pradesh by joining hands with the Maoist ultras. The Andhra Pradesh Government had given credence to the Maoist groups by holding talks with its armed representatives.

Having recognised the infrastructure of the anti-national elements, how could the Union Government demand the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, he wondered. ''India lacks the credibility to demand Pakistan to remain committed to the agreement signed with India during January 2004 in ensuring that no terrorist groups would be allowed to function from its soil.'' Claiming that internal order was at its worst since a decade, he said the country was witnessing a spurt in subversive activities.

''In the last six weeks, every single day there have been terrorist attacks, killings, blasts by terrorist groups. The situation is so serious that even media has started looking at it cynically and incidents targetting innocent people were being published as if an insignificant matter of concern.''

UNI