The Hindu : National : Congress assails BJP for not supporting bus service

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 09, 2005

National

National

Congress assails BJP for not supporting bus service

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 8. With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failing to join the celebration of the successful flagging-off of the Srinagar-Muzaffrabad bus service, the Congress today sought to remind it about the unconditional support extended by the Opposition to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime in all its confidence-building measures with Pakistan.

Briefing mediapersons here, the senior party leader, Ambika Soni, said the Congress had always put the nation over politics and extended full support to the NDA when it called a Ramzaan ceasefire and extended it subsequently, and decided to launch the Lahore bus service. ``We have always felt that all measures for peace in Jammu & Kashmir should be supported. But from the very beginning, the BJP — particularly its local unit — has raised questions and expressed reservations about the Srinagar-Muzaffrabad bus service.''

Of the view that the bus service was only one step in the direction of peace and stability in the region, Ms. Soni said it was in keeping with the Congress' sustained belief that while infiltration and terrorism should be addressed with a firm hand, a window for dialogue ought to be always kept open.

Responding to a question on the lukewarm response of the Pakistan Government to the bus service in contrast to that of the Indian Government, she said: ``Every Government decides its own level of participation. But, the people of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir responded to it with great enthusiasm. At the people-to-people level, there was a manifestation of great joy and our belief is that the emotional pressure of the people works wonders on the Government.''

About the terrorist attack on the Tourist Reception Centre at Srinagar on the eve of the launch of the bus service, Ms. Soni said: ``It has created anger among the average Kashmiri who sees it as an attempt to stop hearts from both sides of the border from meeting. That the bus service was flagged off without a hitch is a clear indication that people's power has prevailed.''

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National