The Bharatiya Janata Party here on Thursday launched a no-holds barred attack on the government’s security policies, criticising the move to resume the stalled dialogue with Pakistan and charging it with an intention to dilute India’s administrative control over Jammu and Kashmir.
In a resolution adopted by the party’s National Council here, it said the government was confused and could not respond adequately to the worsening internal security situation racked not only by terrorism but also the violence of Maoist-led groups. It charged the government with following a weak-kneed policy towards China which was showing a “new belligerence” with regard to its claims in Arunachal Pradesh.
Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley drafted and moved the security resolution while chief ministers Narendra Modi and Raman Singh supported it. Mr. Jaitley’s charge was that the UPA policies would once again “internationalise” the Kashmir issue.
The resolution asked the government to “re-visit” its decision to resume the dialogue with Pakistan, and said if it is held, it must be terrorism-centric, not focused on Kashmir. The party also pointed out “no dialogue is a legitimate… diplomatic option.”
“Nehruvian blunder”
The party said special status for Kashmir was a “Nehruvian blunder” that had created a “psychological barrier” preventing the full integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. It criticised regional parties which had recently raised the autonomy cry, as if lack of adequate power with the State government was the problem responsible for terrorism.
Mr. Modi, who had reportedly praised Home Minister Chidambaram’s handling of security recently, described the Centre as the “Delhi Sultanate,” an expression perhaps intended to emphasise the party’s charge of “appeasement” of minorities as a part of the UPA’s anti-terrorism policy.
He charged the UPA with finding no time to talk to the Opposition on security issues but having all the time to re-start a dialogue with Pakistan. He warned that India’s response to security issues cannot succeed unless the Centre and the States act in coordination and speak in one voice.
Mr. Raman Singh defended Chhattisgarh’s record and said it was a misconception to think the tribals support Maoist groups. He claimed they were voluntarily coming forward to fight naxalism, which posed the most important security threat to the country.
Speaking later, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi made the most serious charge, saying “Congress ke haath atankwad ke saath” — the Congress hand is with terrorism. He also wondered how and why the Al Qaeda had found roots in India under the UPA when it was not present during the Vajpayee regime.
The Congress, he said, has identified Muslims with Dawoods and Haji Mastaans while the BJP had projected the former President, Abdul Kalam, as the Muslim role model.
