The Hindu : Talks offer a 'blunder': Singhal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 26, 2003

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Talks offer a 'blunder': Singhal

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR APRIL 25. The international president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Ashok Singhal, has termed the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's offer of talks to Pakistan another ``blunder''. What will be the fate of such an offer, knowing the nature of Pakistan, he asked.

Talking to newspersons here today, he said that Mr. Vajpayee's bus diplomacy in all good faith had failed. One would not know what was in store for the country this time. ``Blunders can be committed and pardoned once or twice, not always,'' he said.

Mr. Singhal said that Pakistan was training naxalites, ULFA militants, Khalistan separatists, LTTE terrorists and all other such destructive forces in the country.

When the madrassas (Muslim seminaries) were teaching religious fundamentalism and the jehadi outfits were waging war, how could the Hindu youth have brotherhood for the Muslims, he asked.

In response to a question whether he had any Muslim friends in childhood, Mr. Singhal said ``no'' as all his Muslim neighbours used to talk about ``Pakistan'' even when it was not separated from India.

Asked about his reported statement that the Government at the Centre was ``napunsak'' (impotent), the VHP leader said, ``I did not say it before you, so I will comment on it whenever and wherever required''.

To a question on `trishuls' (tridents), he sought to know whether the Rajasthan Government would also ban the distribution of ``cross'' by Christian missionaries. Both trishul and the cross were religious symbols and why was there such partisan attitude? he asked?

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