New Delhi conveyed to Islamabad its strong concerns over stepped-up cross-border terrorism in the Valley, as home secretary-level talks began here on Tuesday. Home minister Shivraj Patil on Tesday, said Pakistan should not be blamed for every violent incident in Jammu and Kashmir. Patil?s faux pas has drawn sharp criticism from the Opposition as it can potentially weaken India?s otherwise tough stand on the issue.
Clearly striking an odd note, Patil?s comments not only brought embarrassment to the government, but the view in political circles is that it might have also provided Pakistan an upper hand in the ongoing two-day talks.
?We should not blame Pakistan for every wrong thing… increase in infiltration and violence here,? Patil told reporters in Srinagar on Monday. ?We are not in the process of blame game. We are trying to understand and complement each other,? he said.
The BJP, which has always attempted to capitalise on the national security plank, lost no time in lashing out at the home minister. Charging that it was an irresponsible statement, the main Opposition countered by asking whether the UPA government was responsible for the violence in Jammu and Kashmir, since Patil was giving a clean chit to Islamabad.
?We condemn Patil?s statement. We are doing so not because he or the Congress party has said so, but because it betrays the ground realities. Every inch of the LoC is protected. Infiltration is possible only with the support of forces and terrorists are infiltrating from across the border,? party spokesperson Prakash Javedkar said.
?We not only condemn Patil?s attempt to side step our stated position, but we demand that the home minister withdraw his remarks,? he added.
When asked, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee refused to comment on the issue. Patil?s remarks suggest that it can be seen as a virtual disclaimer by Pakistan that it has nothing to do with well-trained terrorists who sneak across the LoC. Barely a week ago, defence minister AK Antony had said the rise in infiltration was ?a matter of concern?.
In the ongoing home secretary-level talks here, India will seek assurances on the ground to dismantle terror infrastructure. While home secretary Madhukar Gupta is leading the Indian side, his counterpart, Syed Kamal Shah, is leading the 11-member Pakistani delegation. The two sides are also expected to discuss draft agreements on relaxation of visa rules and steps to check illicit drug trafficking.