National

BJP seeks statement

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded a “proper and detailed statement” from the External Affairs Ministry on the incidents in Tibet and demonstrations staged by Tibetans across the world over the last few days.

The subject was discussed at a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party here on Tuesday. Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani, who presided, criticised “Marxists everywhere” and said “wherever they are in power they stifle opposition voices.”

The kind of “suppression” witnessed in Tibet was also seen in Nandigram in West Bengal and Kannur in Kerala, he said.

The party’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, V.K. Malhotra, told journalists later that India, along with other countries, should take the issue of “human rights violations in Tibet” to the United Nations.

While thousands of illegal immigrants crossed over to India from Bangladesh and enjoyed all amenities and freedom here, those who had taken shelter and were “our guests,” like the Dalai Lama and Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen “are treated shabbily,” Mr. Malhotra said.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh reportedly pointed out at the meeting that while the Left was now quiet on the Tibet issue saying it was China’s internal matter, its leaders were very active in Nepal, advising Nepalese leaders and helping them in relation to the “internal affairs” of the Himalayan kingdom.

The BJP leadership advised party MPs to go to their constituencies during the recess in the budget session and take up issues of farmers and price rise.

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