'Suspend talks with Pak till fresh elections there'

Thiruvananthpuram, May 18: Asserting that meaningful talks were not possible with ''turbulent Pakistan'' at present, BJP president Rajnath Singh today said India should put on hold the bilateral dialogue process till elections were held in the country.

''Pakistan is in turmoil and the situation is very fluid in that country. So meaningful talks will not be possible at this juncture,'' he said at a press conference here.

''Unless the turmoil in Pakistan is over, India should not go in for a dialogue with its neighbour,'' he said.

Mr Singh was here to attend the conclusion of the ''Jana Yatra'' taken out by the BJP state unit.

Expressing apprehensions over the Justice Rajender Sachar Committee report on the status of Muslims in the country, he said, ''the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has given a communal definition to poverty.'' ''The BJP has already conveyed its opposition to the UPA government and the party thinks that all poor individuals should be treated equally.'' On the Sethusamudram project, Mr Singh said President A P J Abdul Kalam must forward the recommendations and suggestions of social and cultural organisations to the Supreme Court to seek their opinion under Article 134 of the Constitution. The project should be stayed till then, he added.

The BJP also wanted the Centre to take the initiatives to declare the Sethusamudram a World Heritage site. Noting that Sethusamudram should not be treated as a ''political project'', he said its destruction could have far reaching consequences as it stood against cyclone, tsunami and also tidal waves that were a threat to the coastal regions. It also has strategic importance as it blocks the entry of any foreign vessel and the presence of huge Thorium deposits in the region could be used to run the nuclear plants in the country for decades, he said.

Referring to India's nuclear and foreign policy, Mr Singh asked the Centre not to ''surrender'' the country's sovereign right while signing the Nuclear deal with the US. ''There should not be any compromise with the country's nuclear rights and the UPA Government should not compromise national security at any cost,'' he said.

Referring to the strategic partnership with the US in Information Technology, he said there was no concern on the HIB Visa and the US should not have raised doubts about it. The US should not close its doors to India's infotech sectors, he added.

Cautioning against the rising presence of China in the region, he said ''China is encircling India with its military and economic presence. It has enhanced military tie-ups with Pakistan and is attempting to monitor India. It is high time that India kept vigil.'' ''We should not leave Lanka and Nepal at the mercy of others and India should involve itself in the issues related to these countries,'' he said.

About the BJP's debacle in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, he said, ''the party has only been temporarily halted in UP, but not lost the war. We have just lost one battle but sooner than later, the BJP will come to grips.

Asked if it was not a personal setback as he belonged to State, the BJP leader said it was only a temporary setback to the party.

Regarding the reports of UP Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati wooing Brahmin votes, he said ''elections in a healthy democracy should not be held on the basis of caste and religion.'' Elections should be based on issues, he added.

On the Presidential elections, Mr Singh opined that the NDA would field its own candidate if the UPA was not interested in a consensus choice. ''Mr A B Vajpayee has been entrusted with the task of talking with political parties on this and a decision will be taken at the next NDA meeting. Mr Vajpayee has been given a free hand in this,'' he said.

Regarding the clashes in Punjab, he said the Government should initiate talks between the Sacha Sauda and Sikhs to find an amicable solution. ''Violence is not a solution,'' he said, ruling out any conspiracy behind the clashes.

UNI

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