New Delhi, October 15
In a significant statement, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today described Osama bin Laden’s Al-Qaida terrorist network’s remarks on Kashmir as a “serious challenge” saying that India has to fight the threat together.
“If this (Al-Qaida’s appeal to the USA not to help Hindus against Muslims in Kashmir) is true, then it is a serious challenge”, Mr Vajpayee said talking to newspersons after the brief swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The Indian government has already rejected Al-Qaida’s description of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir as the Hindu-Muslim issue and asserted that such statements strengthened New Delhi’s resolve to stamp out terrorism.
“The issue of Jammu and Kashmir is at the core of Indian nationhood. The vast majority of Muslim brethren is firmly opposed to terrorism”, the Prime Minister said.
Strongly rejecting US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage’s description of Kashmir as “the most dangerous place in the world”, Mr Vajpayee said “We do not agree with his views”.
To a reporter’s comment that Pakistan has gained an upper hand in post-September 11 developments, the Prime Minister said on the contrary Islamabad was trapped in a crisis”.
“Indian diplomacy is going in the right direction”, Mr Vajpayee said.
To a question on the possibility of internal disturbances following the US action in Afghanistan, the Prime Minister said the government was maintaining a strict vigil and did not foresee a threat to internal security. “We are keeping a close watch. We are alert”.
On tomorrow’s visit of US Secretary of State Colin Powell to India, Mr Vajpayee hoped that both sides would have wide ranging exchanges on the current situation.
