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BJP: get tough with Pakistan diplomatically

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Citing fidayeen (suicide) attacks by militants and their continued infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir from across the border, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday urged the government to take a tough diplomatic stance against Pakistan.

It should call the Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi to South Block and lodge a strong protest against the renewed encouragement being given to militants’ activity in Jammu and Kashmir by their patrons in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said here.

India should make it clear to Pakistan that confidence building measures, envisaged as part of the peace process, could not go hand in hand with fidayeen attacks.

In the last 10 months, more than 200 incidents of infiltration had occurred, Mr. Prasad pointed out, adding Pakistan Rangers were providing cover to those crossing the Line of Control. Although the Lashkar-e-Taiba had been banned in Pakistan, some Kashmiri leaders from India met the LeT chief in Lahore a while ago.

The BJP wanted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to explain to the country what the government was doing about the increased terrorist incidents and infiltration. Dr. Singh met his Pakistani counterpart in Colombo recently during the SAARC summit, where he is reported to have brought up the issue of attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul. But did he also discuss infiltration and terrorist attacks in India, Mr. Prasad asked.

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