The Hindu : Front Page : SP threatens to review support

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Friday, Jan 09, 2009
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SP threatens to review support

Gargi Parsai

“We have decided to give Centre five days to take action against Pakistan”

Amar Singh

NEW DELHI: The Samajwadi Party on Thursday threatened to review its support to the United Progressive Alliance government in four or five days if the Centre failed to take action against terrorists in Pakistan.

“We are not for action against the people of Pakistan, but the terrorist camps must be dismantled. The government must satisfy us on this,” SP general secretary and spokesman Amar Singh said in the presence of party president Mulayam Singh after a two-hour meeting of the Central Parliamentary Board.

He also announced the first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha election.

“The meeting criticised the government for failing to take any concrete action against Pakistan in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks. In this light we have decided to give it five days’ time to take action against Pakistan, otherwise we will review our support to the government at a working committee meeting of our party that would be called after January 14,” he said.

Mr. Amar Singh’s threat came a day after he met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, senior leader Pranab Mukherjee and Ms. Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel. He said he had an hour-long meeting with the Congress leaders but did not give details.

Mr. Amar Singh said they were not being taken into confidence on the “Mumbai attack issue.”

He said his party bailed out the government in the July 22 vote in Parliament and was extending support, but for all practical purposes it appeared as though they were not part of the coalition. On a personal note, he said he was under tremendous pressure from the party leaders as it was his initiative to support the UPA and now he was being accused of “Congressising” of the party.

Gaza attacks

The party would soon call a meeting of the working committee and condemn the Israeli attacks on Gaza. It would also call a meeting of Arab diplomats. “We will try to create international pressure on Israel to immediately stop the attacks.”

Noida bandh

Referring to the gangrape of a student in Noida, Mr. Amar Singh criticised the Mayawati government for the “collapse of law and order” and called a Noida bandh for Friday.

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