Tokyo, December 10, 2001.
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today told the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Junichiro Koizumi, that though India was prepared to talk to Pakistan, Kashmir could not be the focal point of discussion. Mr Koizumi suggested that as the G-8 summit was scheduled to discuss terrorism, the two countries should cooperate with each other at that forum too.
The Prime Minister, who met his Japanese counterpart today for over 30 minutes after he was formally received in the Capital, said India had always stood for dialogue with its neighbour.
Later, the two sides released a joint declaration that said that there was no place for a nation which talked against global terrorism but continued to support it in one way or the other. Pakistan was not named by either side but it was obvious that the country’s support to terrorist groups inside Jammu and Kashmir came up for discussion during the talks.
Incidentally, Japan is the biggest aid donor to Pakistan and the two countries have shared close ties. The Japan-Pakistan relations are supposed to be closer than the Japan-India ties over a period of time. Yet, the two sides stood shoulder to shoulder today and the joint declaration issued after Mr Vajpayee’s meetings with the PM and the Japanese Finance and Foreign Ministers, clearly expressed opposition to terrorism — wherever, whenever and for whatever reason.
The two leaders said they believed that the fight against terrorism had to be comprehensive and sustained with the objective of total elimination of terrorism in all regions. They shared the view that the fight was not only against the perpetrators of terrorist acts but also against those who provided support, sustenance and safe haven to such persons. In this regard, they shared the view on the importance of implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions pertaining to terrorism and the 12 UN counter-terrorism conventions.
They also recognised the importance of strengthening the international legal framework against terrorism and Japan confirmed that it would cooperate with India for early adoption of India’s proposed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism , which is currently under discussion in the UN. The joint declaration marks a sort of a watershed in Japan-India ties as the two sides have decided to comprehensively develop economic and strategic ties that Mr Vajpayee has been referring to ever since he arrived on Japanese soil on December 7.
That the two leaders share a special rapport was underscored by the fact that they had decided to wear similar jackets during the meeting. Mr Vajpayee was the one who could not wear the specially tailored jacket as it was too short for him. He apologised for not having kept his commitment and said he would have to go on a diet to fit into it. He assured that the next time around he would have reduced sufficiently to wear this piece of clothing.
Mr Vajpayee raised a toast to the “continued peace, progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Japan” and “to eternal friendship” between the two nations at a banquet hosted by the Japanese Prime Minister later in the evening. The spirit of bonhomie between the two delegations was palpable during all the meetings.
The Prime Minister also described the birth of a baby daughter to the crown prince and the princess as the arrival of “kanya rattan” and said he had come to the country at an auspicious moment. A navrattan necklace was sent to the Royal Palace as a gift to the girl child. Mr Vajpayee is scheduled to have an audience with the Emperor tomorrow morning before he emplanes for New Delhi.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Naga issue: PM holds talks with rebel group
Osaka, December 8, 2001.
Away from prying eyes at home, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today had an hour-long meeting with the leaders of a major Naga rebel group in his effort to bring lasting peace to the trouble-torn region of the country. Mr Vajpayee, who arrived in the city yesterday evening, found time to have a direct dialogue with Mr Isaac Swu and Mr T. Muivah this afternoon. The two are leaders of the Isaac-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).
Though the talks were supposed to be hush-hush, newsmen covering Mr Vajpayee’s visit to Japan came to know of it and sought clarifications from the government. After much deliberation, the official spokesman released a short statement confirming the visit. The statement said: “At the meeting, it was reiterated that a negotiated , peaceful political settlement remained the objective of the two sides. Further talks between the Government of India and the NSCN (I-M)will take place shortly.”
The PM was accompanied by Mr Brajesh Mishra, Principal Secretary to the PM, and Mr K. Padmanabhaiah, former Home Secretary.
Though the meeting was being speculated upon for the past couple of days, its duration and timing came as a surprise. It is believed that the rebel leaders spoke to Mr Vajpayee more freely and frankly.
However, Mr Vajpayee is not meeting the two leaders for the first time. He had met the group in Paris in 1998. This was subsequent to the peace talks that had begun with the Naga rebels in 1997 and the two sides had begun to discuss the conditions of ceasefire that they had agreed to a year ago.
The Government of India has been trying to bring the Naga rebels to the negotiating table for a long time. Former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao had also met the rebels outside India. Later, Naga leaders had met the then PM, Mr Deve Gowda, during the economic summit in Switzerland in early 1997. The two sides had agreed to a ceasefire but the process was thwarted as the modalities could not be worked out.
During the past one year, there has been a dispute between the government and the rebels over the area to be covered by the ceasefire. It was at the insistence of the rebels that the ceasefire was extended to all parts of the country in June and it led to violent protests in Manipur.
Away from prying eyes at home, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today had an hour-long meeting with the leaders of a major Naga rebel group in his effort to bring lasting peace to the trouble-torn region of the country. Mr Vajpayee, who arrived in the city yesterday evening, found time to have a direct dialogue with Mr Isaac Swu and Mr T. Muivah this afternoon. The two are leaders of the Isaac-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).
Though the talks were supposed to be hush-hush, newsmen covering Mr Vajpayee’s visit to Japan came to know of it and sought clarifications from the government. After much deliberation, the official spokesman released a short statement confirming the visit. The statement said: “At the meeting, it was reiterated that a negotiated , peaceful political settlement remained the objective of the two sides. Further talks between the Government of India and the NSCN (I-M)will take place shortly.”
The PM was accompanied by Mr Brajesh Mishra, Principal Secretary to the PM, and Mr K. Padmanabhaiah, former Home Secretary.
Though the meeting was being speculated upon for the past couple of days, its duration and timing came as a surprise. It is believed that the rebel leaders spoke to Mr Vajpayee more freely and frankly.
However, Mr Vajpayee is not meeting the two leaders for the first time. He had met the group in Paris in 1998. This was subsequent to the peace talks that had begun with the Naga rebels in 1997 and the two sides had begun to discuss the conditions of ceasefire that they had agreed to a year ago.
The Government of India has been trying to bring the Naga rebels to the negotiating table for a long time. Former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao had also met the rebels outside India. Later, Naga leaders had met the then PM, Mr Deve Gowda, during the economic summit in Switzerland in early 1997. The two sides had agreed to a ceasefire but the process was thwarted as the modalities could not be worked out.
During the past one year, there has been a dispute between the government and the rebels over the area to be covered by the ceasefire. It was at the insistence of the rebels that the ceasefire was extended to all parts of the country in June and it led to violent protests in Manipur.
Vajpayee favours strong trade ties with Japan
Osaka (Japan), December 8, 2001.
The Indian delegation led by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today made a strong sales pitch before top Japanese trade and industry leaders pointing out that it was surprising that economic and business relations between the two countries do not adequately match the depth of cultural and spiritual ties between the two nations. “We must remove this mismatch,” Mr Vajpayee told the audience.
Besides the Prime Minister, the Minister for Disinvestment, Mr Arun Shourie, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Omar Abdullah, President of the Confederation of Indian Industries, Mr Sanjiv Goenka and President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mr R.S. Lodha stressed the need for both the countries to strengthen economic ties for mutual benefit.
The India business meeting held in the industrial district of Kansai was hosted by leading business associations of this area. The business turnover of this small area from knowledge-based and other activities accounts for about 20 per cent of Japan’s GDP.
Mr Vajpayee stressed the economic importance of Kansai district in his opening remarks last year when he said just as the then Prime Minister of Japan Mr Mori had started his August, 2000, visit to India not from Delhi but from Bangalore, he too was “delighted” to commence his visit from the “industrial heart of Japan.”
Mr Vajpayee said there was a natural convergence between India’s development needs and Japanese investment needs. “This complement, I believe, can nurture a vastly expanded agenda of economic and business cooperation in the new century.”
He said India was a huge country with enormous needs of infrastructure and investment in manufacturing and services and also had a large base of quality and value conscious consumers. “Japan has a huge economy,” he said and pointed out that it currently had significant underutilised capacity. The two should come together for achieving greater benefit from each other, he said.
Mr Vajpayee painted an optimistic picture of the Indian polity and economy before this select gathering. He said more than ever before India offered excellent opportunities to do business as because of political stability there was a growing commitment to carry out further political reforms across the political spectrum.
He sounded confident and drew applause when he said despite the “global economic slowdown, our growth prospects , even in the short term , are brighter than elsewhere. Our objective is to double per capita income in the next 10 years and this requires a minimum growth rate of over 8 per cent. We can and we shall achieve this higher growth rate by speeding up our economic reforms. In particular, we are committed to simplification, rationalisation and ensuring transparency of regulatory procedures and institutions.”
The speech obviously impressed the industry captains for they gave Mr Vajpayee a standing ovation when he ended his discourse inviting the Japanese to invest in India saying that “I have no doubt that your increased participation will not disappoint your shareholders — as indeed they have not for the Japanese firms already in India.” On his part, Mr Vajpayee went on to say “I encourage businessmen from both sides who are present here today to look for ways and means of enhancing cooperation. We are willing to look at any improvements that you may suggest.”
Mr Vajpayee attended a banquet later in the evening hosted by the Governor of Osaka Perfecture and Mayor of Osaka city. He is leaving for Tokyo tomorrow morning for interaction with top Japanese political leaders and other members of the Japanese business community.
The Indian delegation led by the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, today made a strong sales pitch before top Japanese trade and industry leaders pointing out that it was surprising that economic and business relations between the two countries do not adequately match the depth of cultural and spiritual ties between the two nations. “We must remove this mismatch,” Mr Vajpayee told the audience.
Besides the Prime Minister, the Minister for Disinvestment, Mr Arun Shourie, the Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Omar Abdullah, President of the Confederation of Indian Industries, Mr Sanjiv Goenka and President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mr R.S. Lodha stressed the need for both the countries to strengthen economic ties for mutual benefit.
The India business meeting held in the industrial district of Kansai was hosted by leading business associations of this area. The business turnover of this small area from knowledge-based and other activities accounts for about 20 per cent of Japan’s GDP.
Mr Vajpayee stressed the economic importance of Kansai district in his opening remarks last year when he said just as the then Prime Minister of Japan Mr Mori had started his August, 2000, visit to India not from Delhi but from Bangalore, he too was “delighted” to commence his visit from the “industrial heart of Japan.”
Mr Vajpayee said there was a natural convergence between India’s development needs and Japanese investment needs. “This complement, I believe, can nurture a vastly expanded agenda of economic and business cooperation in the new century.”
He said India was a huge country with enormous needs of infrastructure and investment in manufacturing and services and also had a large base of quality and value conscious consumers. “Japan has a huge economy,” he said and pointed out that it currently had significant underutilised capacity. The two should come together for achieving greater benefit from each other, he said.
Mr Vajpayee painted an optimistic picture of the Indian polity and economy before this select gathering. He said more than ever before India offered excellent opportunities to do business as because of political stability there was a growing commitment to carry out further political reforms across the political spectrum.
He sounded confident and drew applause when he said despite the “global economic slowdown, our growth prospects , even in the short term , are brighter than elsewhere. Our objective is to double per capita income in the next 10 years and this requires a minimum growth rate of over 8 per cent. We can and we shall achieve this higher growth rate by speeding up our economic reforms. In particular, we are committed to simplification, rationalisation and ensuring transparency of regulatory procedures and institutions.”
The speech obviously impressed the industry captains for they gave Mr Vajpayee a standing ovation when he ended his discourse inviting the Japanese to invest in India saying that “I have no doubt that your increased participation will not disappoint your shareholders — as indeed they have not for the Japanese firms already in India.” On his part, Mr Vajpayee went on to say “I encourage businessmen from both sides who are present here today to look for ways and means of enhancing cooperation. We are willing to look at any improvements that you may suggest.”
Mr Vajpayee attended a banquet later in the evening hosted by the Governor of Osaka Perfecture and Mayor of Osaka city. He is leaving for Tokyo tomorrow morning for interaction with top Japanese political leaders and other members of the Japanese business community.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Karzai's appointment setback for Pak
New Delhi, December 6, 2001.
The appointment of Mr Hamid Karzai as head of Afghanistan’s interim government is a setback for Pakistan (and Iran) despite his links with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Mr Karzai owns three houses in Pakistan — one each in Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta — and has been in touch with the ISI for about two decades. In fact, it was under a strong recommendation of the ISI that he became Deputy Foreign Minister in Afghanistan in 1990-92, well-placed sources said here today.
But his honeymoon with the ISI ended in July, 1999, when his father, Mr Abdul Ahad Karzai, chief of the powerful Popalzai tribe in Kandahar, was assassinated by the Taliban. Mr Karzai naturally believed that the ISI, which had been the mentor of the Taliban, double-crossed his father.
However, the ISI is believed to have reopened its channel with Mr Karzai in the past couple of months courtesy the USA with which he has fantastic rapport. His five brothers and a sister are US greencard holders, though he himself is not.
Sources said Pakistan was feeling itself checkmated in the diplomatic game played in Bonn for the past one week where Mr Karzai was chosen to head the post-Taliban interim administration in Afghanistan because Islamabad had put all its eggs in one basket — former Afghanistan President Burhanuddin Rabbani.
The Pakistani gameplan, sources pointed out, was to salvage some bit of stakes in Afghanistan by getting Mr Rabbani chosen as head of the interim government. Mr Rabbani is a hardcore activist of the Jamaat-e-Islami and that is why the Pakistani strategists found him to be their best man in the current situation.
It is public knowledge that Mr Rabbani had met a Pakistani delegation in Dubai about a fortnight back for closed-door talks on the post-Taliban arrangement in Afghanistan. What very few people know is that the Pakistani delegation was crammed with ISI agents.
Mr Rabbani, incidentally, has had a close relationship with the ISI and is familiar with their working. ISI agents were his "handlers" during the early 1980s when he fought against the Soviets.
The appointment of Mr Hamid Karzai as head of Afghanistan’s interim government is a setback for Pakistan (and Iran) despite his links with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Mr Karzai owns three houses in Pakistan — one each in Peshawar, Lahore and Quetta — and has been in touch with the ISI for about two decades. In fact, it was under a strong recommendation of the ISI that he became Deputy Foreign Minister in Afghanistan in 1990-92, well-placed sources said here today.
But his honeymoon with the ISI ended in July, 1999, when his father, Mr Abdul Ahad Karzai, chief of the powerful Popalzai tribe in Kandahar, was assassinated by the Taliban. Mr Karzai naturally believed that the ISI, which had been the mentor of the Taliban, double-crossed his father.
However, the ISI is believed to have reopened its channel with Mr Karzai in the past couple of months courtesy the USA with which he has fantastic rapport. His five brothers and a sister are US greencard holders, though he himself is not.
Sources said Pakistan was feeling itself checkmated in the diplomatic game played in Bonn for the past one week where Mr Karzai was chosen to head the post-Taliban interim administration in Afghanistan because Islamabad had put all its eggs in one basket — former Afghanistan President Burhanuddin Rabbani.
The Pakistani gameplan, sources pointed out, was to salvage some bit of stakes in Afghanistan by getting Mr Rabbani chosen as head of the interim government. Mr Rabbani is a hardcore activist of the Jamaat-e-Islami and that is why the Pakistani strategists found him to be their best man in the current situation.
It is public knowledge that Mr Rabbani had met a Pakistani delegation in Dubai about a fortnight back for closed-door talks on the post-Taliban arrangement in Afghanistan. What very few people know is that the Pakistani delegation was crammed with ISI agents.
Mr Rabbani, incidentally, has had a close relationship with the ISI and is familiar with their working. ISI agents were his "handlers" during the early 1980s when he fought against the Soviets.
Ceasefire announced
Quetta (Pakistan), December 6, 2001.
One of the Pashtun tribal forces fighting the Taliban near their last stronghold of Kandahar announced an immediate ceasefire today following talks on a peaceful handover of the city, a spokesman said.
"We have actually proclaimed a ceasefire today," Khalid Pashtoon, spokesman for a Pashtun tribal army led by former Kandahar Governor Gul Agha, told Reuters.
"Today we did not go forward to fight (because of the talks)," he said on the telephone.
Gul Agha’s fighters had been trying to dislodge Taliban forces entrenched in Kandahar airport to the south of the city, the birthplace and last bastion of the hardline militia. Reuters
One of the Pashtun tribal forces fighting the Taliban near their last stronghold of Kandahar announced an immediate ceasefire today following talks on a peaceful handover of the city, a spokesman said.
"We have actually proclaimed a ceasefire today," Khalid Pashtoon, spokesman for a Pashtun tribal army led by former Kandahar Governor Gul Agha, told Reuters.
"Today we did not go forward to fight (because of the talks)," he said on the telephone.
Gul Agha’s fighters had been trying to dislodge Taliban forces entrenched in Kandahar airport to the south of the city, the birthplace and last bastion of the hardline militia. Reuters
Kandahar crumbling
Mullah Omar agrees to surrender
Islamabad, December 6, 2001.
Cornered Taliban today appeared to be losing their last stronghold with their supremo Mullah Mohammad Omar reportedly deciding to surrender the southern Afghan city of Kandahar to local Mujahideen even as ground and air attacks were under way in Tora Bora mountain range to flush out Osama bin Laden’s fighters.
“Mullah Mohammad Omar has decided that Kandahar should be handed over to former jehadi commander Mullah Naqibullah,” Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency quoted an unnamed Taliban spokesman as saying.
“A decision has also been taken to form a commission which would be headed by Mullah Naqibullah who will also act as Governor of Kandahar.
“Mullah Omar has taken the decision in consultation with tribal leaders and his associates and the ulema. The decision will be implemented in one or two days,” the spokesman said.
A spokesman of US-led coalition in Afghanistan said Mullah Omar may be trying to surrender to the country’s new interim leader Hamid Karzai whose forces are massed near Kandahar.
“I can tell you authoritatively that some of Mullah Omar’s most senior commanders are negotiating their own surrender,” Kenton Keith told reporters here.
“You should also take seriously reports that Mullah Omar himself is negotiating to save his own skin,” Keith said. Until now the militia supremo had ordered his troops to fight to death against opposition forces backed by the USA.
There was no independent confirmation of the AIP report, which said that the handover would be completed in a few days.
The agency, which is close to Taliban, did not say clearly whether if Omar surrendered would he be allowed safe passage from the city.
The report was also silent on the fate of those Taliban and Al-Qaida fighters who surrender.
The report of Mullah Omar’s decision to surrender came close on the heels of Karzai saying he had held “very productive” talks with a Taliban delegation.
Karzai said he had offered amnesty to Taliban fighters except Mullah Omar. Karzai, who took charge on December 22 for six months, said: “Foreign terrorists must be tried and expelled”.
In Washington, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said most leaders of Taliban and Al-Qaida militant group were alive and at large in Afghanistan despite the military campaign against them.
Ground and air strikes continued against fighters loyal to Bin Laden’s Al-Qaida network in the Tora Bora area of eastern Afghanistan.
Islamabad, December 6, 2001.
Cornered Taliban today appeared to be losing their last stronghold with their supremo Mullah Mohammad Omar reportedly deciding to surrender the southern Afghan city of Kandahar to local Mujahideen even as ground and air attacks were under way in Tora Bora mountain range to flush out Osama bin Laden’s fighters.
“Mullah Mohammad Omar has decided that Kandahar should be handed over to former jehadi commander Mullah Naqibullah,” Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency quoted an unnamed Taliban spokesman as saying.
“A decision has also been taken to form a commission which would be headed by Mullah Naqibullah who will also act as Governor of Kandahar.
“Mullah Omar has taken the decision in consultation with tribal leaders and his associates and the ulema. The decision will be implemented in one or two days,” the spokesman said.
A spokesman of US-led coalition in Afghanistan said Mullah Omar may be trying to surrender to the country’s new interim leader Hamid Karzai whose forces are massed near Kandahar.
“I can tell you authoritatively that some of Mullah Omar’s most senior commanders are negotiating their own surrender,” Kenton Keith told reporters here.
“You should also take seriously reports that Mullah Omar himself is negotiating to save his own skin,” Keith said. Until now the militia supremo had ordered his troops to fight to death against opposition forces backed by the USA.
There was no independent confirmation of the AIP report, which said that the handover would be completed in a few days.
The agency, which is close to Taliban, did not say clearly whether if Omar surrendered would he be allowed safe passage from the city.
The report was also silent on the fate of those Taliban and Al-Qaida fighters who surrender.
The report of Mullah Omar’s decision to surrender came close on the heels of Karzai saying he had held “very productive” talks with a Taliban delegation.
Karzai said he had offered amnesty to Taliban fighters except Mullah Omar. Karzai, who took charge on December 22 for six months, said: “Foreign terrorists must be tried and expelled”.
In Washington, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said most leaders of Taliban and Al-Qaida militant group were alive and at large in Afghanistan despite the military campaign against them.
Ground and air strikes continued against fighters loyal to Bin Laden’s Al-Qaida network in the Tora Bora area of eastern Afghanistan.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Cabinet to discuss POTO changes today
Joint session likely on Bill
New Delhi, December 5, 2001
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said the Union Cabinet would discuss tomorrow amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance.
Replying to questions in this regard at an Iftaar hosted by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, he said the “Cabinet will discuss amendments to POTO tomorrow.”
Mr Vajpayee declined to comment when asked whether the government was considering convening of a joint session of Parliament to adopt the Bill if it failed in the Rajya Sabha.
As reporters shot more questions, Dr Abdullah took the Prime Minister away.
Among others present at the party were Vice-President Krishan Kant, former Prime Ministers I.K. Gujaral, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Congress president and Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker GMC Balayogi, Centre’s interlocutor on Kashmir K.C. Pant, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar besides several other Union Ministers and senior bureaucrats from the state and the Central Government. The government is in minority in the Upper House, the POTO may fail to get the approval of the Rajya Sabha.
The Bharatiya Janata Party favoured a joint session of Parliament to ensure passage of a Bill meant to convert the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) into a law.
BJP spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra accused the Congress of placing party interests above national interest by opposing the POTO.
The Bill to replace POTO would be introduced in Parliament on December 10 or 11 and would come up for discussion on December 12 and 13, Mr Malhotra said adding that a final decision to take the Bill to a joint session would be taken by the Government.
Prof Malhotra said the Government wanted to evolve consensus among political parties to deal firmly with terrorism, but the Congress was interested more in vote bank politics after having misused similar law in the past.
Picking up the Congress for the BJP’s wrath particularly, the BJP spokesman said while the left Parties and the Samajwadi Party opposed the Bill, consistently it was the Congress attitude that created confusion.
The Congress was also opposing proxy voting for defence personnel, which would not send right signals and would evoke adverse reactions, he said.
To the charge, Mr Malhotra S.Jaipal Reddy of the Congress said, “the boot is on the other leg”.
It was the BJP-led government which confronted the country with the POTO a few hours before the notification for the winter session of Parliament was issued, he said.
Mr Reddy accused the government of adopting a confrontationist course on the POTO.
New Delhi, December 5, 2001
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said the Union Cabinet would discuss tomorrow amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance.
Replying to questions in this regard at an Iftaar hosted by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, he said the “Cabinet will discuss amendments to POTO tomorrow.”
Mr Vajpayee declined to comment when asked whether the government was considering convening of a joint session of Parliament to adopt the Bill if it failed in the Rajya Sabha.
As reporters shot more questions, Dr Abdullah took the Prime Minister away.
Among others present at the party were Vice-President Krishan Kant, former Prime Ministers I.K. Gujaral, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Congress president and Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker GMC Balayogi, Centre’s interlocutor on Kashmir K.C. Pant, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar besides several other Union Ministers and senior bureaucrats from the state and the Central Government. The government is in minority in the Upper House, the POTO may fail to get the approval of the Rajya Sabha.
The Bharatiya Janata Party favoured a joint session of Parliament to ensure passage of a Bill meant to convert the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO) into a law.
BJP spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra accused the Congress of placing party interests above national interest by opposing the POTO.
The Bill to replace POTO would be introduced in Parliament on December 10 or 11 and would come up for discussion on December 12 and 13, Mr Malhotra said adding that a final decision to take the Bill to a joint session would be taken by the Government.
Prof Malhotra said the Government wanted to evolve consensus among political parties to deal firmly with terrorism, but the Congress was interested more in vote bank politics after having misused similar law in the past.
Picking up the Congress for the BJP’s wrath particularly, the BJP spokesman said while the left Parties and the Samajwadi Party opposed the Bill, consistently it was the Congress attitude that created confusion.
The Congress was also opposing proxy voting for defence personnel, which would not send right signals and would evoke adverse reactions, he said.
To the charge, Mr Malhotra S.Jaipal Reddy of the Congress said, “the boot is on the other leg”.
It was the BJP-led government which confronted the country with the POTO a few hours before the notification for the winter session of Parliament was issued, he said.
Mr Reddy accused the government of adopting a confrontationist course on the POTO.
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