Guest guest Posted October 23, 2001 Report Share Posted October 23, 2001 Choose peace or animosity, Vajpayee tells Pak. By Lalit K. Jha-- Asserting that India today was passing through very difficult times, the Prime Minister said: ``This problem has been imposed on us from outside. There is peace inside. We have to give a united fight.'' NEW DELHI, OCT. 23. Describing Pakistan as an ``untrustworthy neighbour'', the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today said the powers that be in that country should first decide among themselves if they want peace or animosity with India. Without directly mentioning Pakistan or its President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Mr. Vajpayee said: ``Our neighbouring country's ruler talks of peace one day and the next day he threatens `we will see you (ham tumhe dekh lenge)'. He should first decide what he wants from us and remove the confusion once for all.'' Addressing a gathering of the Sikh community at his 7 Race Course Road residence here, Mr. Vajpayee remarked: ``All this while this country (Pakistan) has been helping, training and arming the fundamentalist Taliban regime. At times, they even threatened us by saying that the Taliban was with them. The same country now has waged a war against the Taliban and is all set to destroy it. ``If this is the policy of the neighbouring country, then who is going to trust them? Aap pe kaun bharosa karega?,'' Mr. Vajpayee asked. ``We propose friendship and maintain it. We (India) are not an opportunist country. Our foreign policy is not dictated by some other country. It is for these reasons we are respected world over. Whenever there is a discussion on solving the Afghan problem, people ask what India's stand is.'' Taking a dig at the lot of the people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and comparing it with the Kashmir Valley, Mr. Vajpayee said: ``What is the condition of the area occupied by Pakistan? There is no democracy, no rights for the people living there. Recently there was an election, but the power was handed over to an Army-General.'' The condition of Afghanistan had worsened under Taliban rule, he said. Referring to the atrocities being committed by the Taliban on the people of Afghanistan and in particular curtailment of women's rights, Mr. Vajpayee said: ``What kind of rule is it? Taliban began as an Islamic movement, but now it is ruling by force. It has no relationship with any religion. The manner in which the Taliban is killing innocent people only indicates that it is an armed group spreading fanaticism.'' Asserting that India today was passing through very difficult times, the Prime Minister said: ``This problem has been imposed on us from outside. There is peace inside. We have to give a united fight.'' Earlier, the Sikh community members felicitated Mr. Vajpayee for his fight against terrorism. The former CBI Director, Mr. Joginder Singh, said: ``The biggest achievement has been to show political will against terrorism. This is for the first time clear directions have been given to the security forces to fight against terrorism. Earlier it used to be on ad hoc basis.'' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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