The Hindu : Pak. emerging as a terrorist state: PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 26, 2002

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Pak. emerging as a terrorist state: PM

By Our Special Correspondent

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee (second from left), the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani (extreme left), the Delhi BJP president, Madan Lal Khurana, and the Defence Minister, George Fernandes (extreme right), at a function to mark three years of NDA rule, at the Talkatora stadium in New Delhi on Friday. — Photo: V.V Krishnan

NEW DELHI OCT. 25. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, said here today that India was committed to extending all assistance to end the scourge of terrorism but regretted that even now the world did not make a distinction between terror and a terrorist state.

Accusing Pakistan of emerging as a terrorist state, Mr. Vajpayee said that Islamabad persisted with its "hypocrisy" of supporting the global fight against terrorism, while continuing to send suicide squads to India for killing innocent people. ``Pakistan is fast assuming the role of a terrorist state. But the international community is not ready to differentiate between terror and a terrorist state.''

Referring to the crisis in a Moscow theatre, where Chechen rebels are holding hundreds hostage, and the recent attack in Bali, Indonesia as symptoms of the malaise, Mr. Vajpayee said that using terror as a weapon was a challenge to humanity. "We have to destroy this demon. We are fighting... the world has to unite and we are ready to contribute in this struggle.''

He was addressing a rally at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium here to celebrate the completion of three years of the National Democratic Alliance Government at the Centre. The rally was attended by a galaxy of NDA leaders.

In his first public speech after his indisposition earlier this week due to a ``sore throat,'' Mr. Vajpayee took credit for the successful conduct of free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

He listed the Government's achievements and expressed his views on the Gujarat riots and the killing of Dalits in Jhajjar. He stressed on the need to use a "decent language" in public life and scoffed at recurring reports of perceived differences between him and the Deputy Prime Minister, L. K. Advani.

With Mr. Advani preferring not to speak, Mr. Vajpayee said the media might attribute motives and clarified with the Deputy Prime Minister — seated next to him — if the reason for his silence was indeed paucity of time. ``I was asked to speak. I wanted Advani to speak... I hope there will not be a headline tomorrow that Advani did not speak.''

On media reports of a tussle between him and Mr. Advani, he said ``baat ka batangad ho raha hai" (mountains are being made out of molehills). We have worked together and will continue to do so. I ask the press to be careful.''

Predicting that the recent Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir would alter the course of history, he said the cynicism which greeted his promise of holding free and fair elections had been put to rest with Pakistan being silenced. And the Farooq Abdullah Government and his National Conference had played a major role in ushering in the change.

Daring the Opposition, Mr. Vajpayee said the parties which alleged that the NDA constituents were sticking together for power could come to an understanding in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh.

In an obvious reference to the dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the Cauvery issue, Mr. Vajpayee suggested that it would be proper for the parties to sit down and resolve the problem. Had the earlier governments worked on linking the rivers, at least the major ones, the situation might have been different.

'Gujarat riots should not recur'

Irrespective of political differences, there was no place either for violence or sharp words. There was need for "decorum'' and a ``civilised language,'' he said in an apparent reference to the controversial remarks of the VHP leader, Pravin Togadia, against the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi. While the Gujarat riots were not easy to forget, the resolve should be to see that they did not recur. Mr. Vajpayee condemned the killing of Dalits at Jhajjar.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah's speech asking the Government not to hold talks with Pakistan till it stopped aiding terrorists, or take Washington as the last word on everything drew maximum applause.

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