National

Time for hard decisions, says BJP chief

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR MAY 19. The Bharatiya Janata Party president, Jana Krishnamurthy, has urged the NDA Government to settle the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism once and for all. The time has come for taking hard decisions in the wake of spurt in cross-border terrorism.

He said at a press conference here today, that the Government should not hesitate to take any action it deemed fit and necessary as the country was solidly behind it. It need not rule out any option if the situation warranted, he said.

Referring to the TDP's observation on the situation, he said when Parliament had reaffirmed faith in the Government and the Prime Minister, there was no meaning in consulting the Opposition every time. The understanding could always be based on broad principles and the matter should be left to the Government.

The BJP president said terrorist activities had increased in the recent past, peaking with the attack on Parliament. The terrorist outfits, banned by Pakistan and a few western countries, resurfaced in different garbs. Even the ultras arrested outside India were back in action. The latest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir had once again brought to the fore the seriousness of the situation, he said. Sending back the Pakistan High Commissioner to India was a first step in dealing with the matter diplomatically and the BJP had expected the step sometime ago, he said.

Mr. Krishnamurthy demanded that the Central and State Governments take immediate steps to identify the Pakistani nationals in the country with expired visas and deport them. A large number who had come with visas issued for a limited period had chosen to remain here, he said. Several State Governments were told to identify such persons, but unfortunately nothing had been done. Many of them might have links with the ISI, he feared.

Asked to react on the TDP's stand on the Gujarat issue, the BJP chief said "it was not expected from the party as it is our ally''. Every party was free to take its own stand but the TDP stand had created an impression that the Government was unstable. But, the voting on the censure motion had amply proved the Government's strength.

Proving the majority was a message sent to the nation and it must be gone into carefully by the Opposition and allies like the TDP, he said.

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