PM softens stand on Pak peace talks

NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s assertion that “our countries (India and Pakistan) need peace and stability, and anything that sets this process back is not something that makes me happy” may have won appreciation from the Leftists and liberals, but it has also rendered the government vulnerable to charges that it is soft on terror sponsored by Pakistan.

The PM, who did some tough talking soon after the Mumbai bombings that killed over 200, changed tack on Wednesday and made some reconciliatory noises, while returning to the Capital from St Petersburg. “I would not say that it’s a setback.

Anything that gives the (peace) process a setback makes me sad because the destinies of the people of South Asia are interlinked,” he told media persons who accompanied him to Russia. This was something of a departure from the hard stand adopted by the PM in Mumbai, where he’d said that the peace process can move forward only if Pakistan stops helping terrorists.

He had told the media in Mumbai five days ago that terrorist modules (operating in Mumbai and elsewhere) are instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border, without which they cannot act with such devastating effect.

“I have explained it to the government of Pakistan at the highest level that if the acts of terrorism are not controlled, it is exceedingly difficult for any government to carry forward what may be called a normalisation and peace process,” he had said.

The PM’s political rivals in the NDA on Wednesday used these two statements to ram in their contention that the regime led by Mr Singh is yet not clear on its approach towards Pakistan’s sponsoring of cross-border terrorism.

Opposition leaders, who disputed the government’s claim that the PM has managed to get international support for the fight against terror said the US assistant secretary of state Richard Boucher’s “advise” not to jump to conclusions without proof clearly showed that western countries still treat Mumbai as different from London or Madrid.

On its part, the NDA on Wednesday made it clear that its leaders would corner the regime in Parliament over the issue. The Left has, of course, welcomed the prime ministerial assertions. In any case, they have been maintaining that the “Mumbai blasts should not derail the peace process with Pakistan”.

Congress leaders defended the PM saying there was no difference in his message. “The difference, if any, was in the usage,” a senior party functionary said. Sensing the mood in the Opposition, the Congress charged the BJP with politicising the Mumbai tragedy.