New Delhi, December 18
Rejecting Pakistan’s proposal for a joint probe into the December 13 attack on Parliament, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today asserted that India would soon take action against the perpetrators of terror.

Addressing the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting here, Mr Vajpayee assured that the sentiments of the members of Parliament and the people would be kept in mind while taking any decision.

He also told the BJP MPs that the government had already initiated a process of discussions with leaders of major political parties in this regard.

Meanwhile, according to sources, the Prime Minister had an hour-long meeting late last evening with the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader, Dr Manmohan Singh, and discussed at length the situation arising out of the attack on Parliament and sought the party’s viewpoints.

Briefing newspersons, BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the Prime Minister dismissed as ridiculous Pakistan’s proposal for a joint investigation into the attack, and said the incident had occurred here and therefore the government would probe it and punish the culprits. The punishment would be matching to the heinous crime the terrorists had committed.

Mr Vajpayee said India had sent evidence in support of the involvement of Pakistanis in the attack. Those who had been killed and others who had been arrested in connection with the December 13 attack had links with Pakistan and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

“We are now awaiting Pakistan’s response,” Mr Malhotra quoted Mr Vajpayee as saying.

Making it amply clear that India had taken the terrorist attack on Parliament seriously, the Prime Minister made a dig at those suggesting India to exercise restraint.

“Mr Vajpayee, however, did not name the countries which had made such suggestions,” Mr Malhotra said adding, the Prime Minister said India had been fighting the menace for the past two decades and had observed restraint.

Mr Malhotra said Mr Vajpayee criticised Pakistan for indulging in disinformation. Pakistan’s allegation that Indian agencies were behind the attack was baseless. “There can be no bigger lie than this which Pakistan has made to cover up its own acts”.

The whole world had witnessed the shoot-out in Parliament and had condemned the terrorists’ action and the world opinion against terrorism was also emerging, Mr Vajpayee said.

Getting a little emotional, the Prime Minister said: “God has saved all of us. Perhaps, he wants a certain task to be accomplished by us.”

There was a challenge before the country and the government would face it firmly, he added.

Earlier, referring to the Kandahar hijacking incident, some BJP members led by Mr B P Singhal suggested to the Prime Minister that no terrorist should ever be released in exchange for hostages, including political leaders.