Put pressure on countries sponsoring terrorism: PM

By J.P. Shukla

AGRA, OCT. 14. The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today said that countries sponsoring terrorism should be brought under pressure to abandon their strategy to support the menace. India, which had been a victim of terrorism for quite some time now, had well realised its intensity while those who did not feel the pinch themselves failed to understand its problems. Now the dangers posed by terrorism had come to focus. India itself did not want the fight against terrorism to last long and for this it was necessary to pressure sponsors of terrorism to change their strategy, he said.

Addressing the concluding session of the two-day Golden Jubilee convention of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha here, Mr. Vajpayee said the fight against terrorism should not be just symbolic. It was necessary to attack the problem at its roots. India itself would not allow the forces of terrorism to succeed at any level and would fight its battle with determination. It would be his endeavour to see that the Government and the opposition parties were united in facing the menace.

The greatest strength of India was the stability of its democracy. While in many other countries democracy had been replaced by military rule, in India forces of democracy had been strengthened. With the support of the people the country would be able to face all its problems, he said.

Mr. Vajpayee said some people were trying to disturb communal harmony in the name of supporting the Taliban Government but they would not become successful. Terrorism could not be linked with religion though terrorists exploited religious feelings in their interests. ``Did terrorism distinguish between Hindus and Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir and were there not a large number of Muslims killed at the hands of terrorists?,'' Mr. Vajpayee asked. The divisive forces must realise the seriousness of the danger, he said.

Now with terrorists attack on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly even Pakistan had accepted that this was terrorism. The definition of terrorism, according to Pakistan, had changed and the world had accepted that what India had been pleading so far was true.

He called upon the people to maintain peace. Followers of all religions should stand united to save the country. India wanted to strengthen the forces of peace. ``The battle has started in our home and now it is spreading. We want that this fight does not last long,'' he said.

Mr. Vajpayee, who was earlier handed over a document defining a youth policy as finalised at the convention, urged the delegates to focus on constructive politics. He said the Government would soon be framing its youth policy.

He accepted the demand made at the convention to constitute a National Youth Commission.

The BJYM delegates were given an oath in presence of the Prime Minister to engage themselves in various activities of social reconstruction, including a campaign against corruption. Mr. Vajpayee said the Government was trying to strike at corruption but no unnecessary scare should be created about the problem.

The convention was also addressed on its last day by the BJP president, Mr. Jana Krishnamurthy, the Union Minister, Mr. Venkaiya Naidu, the U.P. Chief Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh, and the State BJP president, Mr. Kalraj Mishra.

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