This time, all dressed up and somewhere to go?

The Indian Express ^ | 2002-05-17 | Neerja Chowdhury

[Lessismore]

• Military Operations to brief PM today, Govt says we need to, we will do something and soon
• Opposition says we are with you but be cautious, tell us more

New Delhi, May 17: The Government may not have disclosed in Parliament what action it proposed to take in the aftermath of the Jammu massacre but it is very close to a decision to take ‘‘some sort of action’’ against Pakistan, informed sources said today.

The military option, they said, is now a ‘‘very likely’’ possibility. Prime Minister A B Vajpayee is set to be briefed by the Directorate of Military Operations at a meeting tomorrow.

Subsequently, a series of Cabinet Committee on Security meetings are expected over the next few days as the Government explores what form its action should take.

At the same time, New Delhi is hoping that Washington can get General Pervez Musharraf to lean harder on the terrorists but it’s more cynical on this count than ever before.

Evidence of this came in Parliament today when both Houses adopted a unanimous resolution condemning the ‘‘most dastardly’’ Jammu attack and pledging the nation’s commitment to see an end to ‘‘senseless acts of terrorism.’’

Armed with this resolution, Home Minister L K Advani told the Lok Sabha that people would come to know of what action the Government takes through TV and radio in the broadcast the Prime Minister may make to the nation soon.

Advani indicated that the Government’s action would not be a knee-jerk one but would be taken after due deliberation.

Vajpayee would take the Opposition leaders into confidence before a decision is taken, the Home Minister said. The government would also consult the armed forces before reaching a final decision.

The Army is said to have been told this morning to use the maximum fire power in the shelling that took place in the Jammu-Poonch sector along the LoC and the international border.

Realising the gravity of the situation, US Ambassador to India, Robert Blackwill called on External Affairs Minsiter Jaswant Singh in his office in Parliament House when the Lok Sabha was discussing the posssible action the Government should take. Anger mounted in Parliament as news came in of a bomb blast in Srinagar, which killed one and injured over a dozen people today.

Earlier in the day, Blackwill had met Brajesh Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. The Ambassador urged restraint and sought more time for the diplomatic effort being mounted by the US to persuade Gen Pervez Musharraf to do more to rein in the terrorists.

Blackwill is also learnt to have made a pitch for Richard Armitage’s forthcoming visit to South Asia to help cool temperatures.

The US Deputy Secretary of State is tipped to come to India and Pakistan in the second week of June and it was argued that he may be able to exercise more influence on Musharraf than Christina Rocca was able to do.

But with the situation escalating by the day, and pressure mounting on the Government to act, a month was a long time to wait, South Block mandarins said.

There is a view in the Government that the time to act should be in the next five weeks. For the rains would start in July. Moreover, given that elections in Jammu and Kashmir are slated to be held by the end of September and the Government is determined that they should be held on schedule.

Pakistan can be expected to do its best to disrupt the electoral process in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian side reportedly left Blackwill in no doubt that it was the build up the Americans had given Gen Musharraf in recent months that had given him encouragement, and that his actions did not match his words. And that he was only indulging in token arrests of Lashkar and Jaish terrorists, releasing them without taking substantive steps to stop the terrorists from coming into India.

There is a view across the political spectrum in India that the support that Musharraf has received particularly from the US Secretary of State Colin Powell after the referendum in Pakistan had allowed the Pakistan President to get away with things.

Members in the Central Hall of Parliament have expressed concern at the words of Powell to the Chinese Foreign Minister that the US and China would have to work together to advise India and Pakistan to exercise restraint.

The performance of Pakistan on curbing cross-border terrorism has been dismal and this was pointed out to Blackwill today and to Rocca a few days ago.

Sources in the armed forces have questioned why so many people coming across the border have been caught by the Indian paramilitary forces while the Pakistani soldiers have not caught a single person on their side even as their forces are massed on the borders. It had only exposed the lack of sincerity of the Pakistani side.

The Indian establishment is convinced that the US and India have to work closely together to curb terrorism but is disappointed that the Americans were ignoring the long-term strategic interests of both sides by their softness towards a man who had been part of the problem in the past and had vowed to humble India.

The growing opinion in the ruling party that the time for words is over was reflected in the speech of Madanlal Khurana today who made a case for striking at the terrorist camps across the border and for withdrawing the Most Favoured Nation Status to Pakistan.

Advani said in his reply that there were 70 to 75 terrorist camps operating in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

[Lessismore]

There is a view in the Government that the time to act should be in the next five weeks. For the rains would start in July. </B

[swarthyguy]

Well hope they do. They've been 'humiliated' enough; army wives and kids targeted. Take out all those camps before the Monsoon comes.

[Fish out of Water]

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