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| Terror threat from Pak, Bangladesh continues | | PM isn't for slanging match with Musharaf:NSA | |
NEW DELHI, OCT. 22
India's National Security Advisor, MK Narayanan, has disclosed his Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh's plan against indulging in a "huge slanging match" with President of Pakistan, Gen. Parvez Musharaf, over terrorism. Narayanan, who is widely known for his close proximity to the Prime Minister, as, at the same time, made it clear that Manmohan Singh has not dropped his guard in relation to Pakistan.
Acording to MK Narayanan, Manmohan Singh is aware of the terror threat from Pakistan and also from Pakistani elements in Bangladesh. In an interview with Karan Thapar on the Devil's Advocate programme, Narayanan said that the Prime Minister had made "no bones about that question". Manmohan Singh sees that most of the threat has come from across the border, from Pakistan, and a fair amount is also coming from Pakistani elements in Bangladesh.
Narayanan said in the interview telecast on CNN-IBN on Sunday (Oct. 22): "He has not dropped his guard. He has no intention of dropping his guard. He has given directions to all of us not to let down our guard in this matter". Critics had interpreted Manmohan Singh's remarks in Havana that Pakistan was also a victim of terrorism as an indication that the Prime Minister was going soft over terrorism.
MK Narayanan's loaded comment: Manmohan Singh had been dealing with the issue in a dignified manner. What he does not want is to get into a huge slanging match and the rather unseemly spectacle of the Prime Minister of India and the President of Pakistan exchanging words through the media, outside the media, across the globe, etc. Narayanan said: "I think he (Prime Minister) has managed this in a very dignified way ... there are elements in the country who are very anxious to paint the Prime Minister as somebody who is naive or weak. I think they are totally wrong".
Narayanan added: "This is the sixth Prime Minister I have dealt with. I find he is very clear in his mind as to exactly where India's interests lie". Defending Manmohan Singh's Havana remarks, Narayanan further said that the Prime Minister was not making a 'value judgement' but just mentioned a fact. Narayanan insisted that his Prime Minister was not equating what was happening in Pakistan with what is happening in India or (ignoring) what "we in this country feel that Pakistan is responsible for most of the terrorist attacks taking place in this country".
The National Security Advisor explained that India has identified Pakistan as the aggressor but New Delhi prefers to avoid finger pointing towards its neighbour particularly at the Prime Ministerial level. "The Prime Minister keeps saying we wish to try to make Pakistan understand that unless it gives up terror as a weapon, unless it understands terror is not going to make India do anything, (there) is no hope for improved relations between India and Pakistan. But he (the PM) doesn't want to end up in a slanging match between India and Pakistan", the NSA said.
Narayanan, however, said that the Pakistani intelligence's role in the July train bombings in Mumbai that killed nearly 200 people was clear. "The fact that ISI is involved is fairly well known. I think it is not a secret as far as India is concerned. In fact it is well known the world over. As far as the Mumbai Police commissioner is concerned, the involvement of LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba), which is closely linked to ISI, has been proved by the investigation. So I suppose the Mumbai Police commissioner is right", Narayanan stated.
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