BJP wants structured debate in Parliament on LoC killings: Shahnawaz Hussain

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Thursday confirmed that his party has demanded a structured debate in both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday's Line of Control (LoC) killings of five Indian soldiers.

"We want a structured debate in Parliament, because we cannot tolerate the way Pakistani terrorists and the Pakistani Army is attacking India. We have demanded a structured debate on the Floor of the House of Parliament," Hussain told media here.

Hussain also said the BJP is satisfied with Defence Minister A.K. Antony's latest statement on the LoC killings.

"We have had a successful day in Parliament, as Antony corrected his statement of yesterday on the LoC killings. Being part of the opposition, it is our responsibility to give the government direction when they have lost it," Hussain said.

While Pakistan has denied the involvement of its troops in the incident, Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Wednesday said that the intruders who killed the five Indian soldiers were "terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan Army uniform."

Antony's Wednesday statement had attracted a lot of flak, as it has contradicted the Indian Army's account, which said that the perpetrators were "soldiers from the Pakistan Army." The BJP-led opposition had accused the Central Government of "giving the Pakistan Army a clean chit."

Antony in his updated statement to both Houses of Parliament on Thursday said, "It is now clear that Specialist Forces of the Pakistan Army were involved in the attack. Those in Pakistan who are responsible for this tragedy, should not go unpunished. Our restraint should not be taken for granted."

"We all know that nothing happens from the Pakistan side of the LoC without the support, assistance, facilitation and often, direct involvement of the Pakistan Army. Pakistan must take steps to punish those responsible for the attack. Pakistan should also dismantle all terrorist apparatus on its soil," said Antony.

He also warned that attacks such as this will have consequences not only on the Line of Control (LoC), but also naturally on the (future) relationship with Pakistan.

He said that the Indian Government would not stand by the wayside and allow the sanctity of the LoC to be violated time and again.

"The capacity of our armed forces, the resolve of the government to uphold the sanctity of the LoC should not be doubted," Antony added.

Meanwhile the Congress maintains that today's statement must not be looked upon as changed but an updated one.

"The Defence Minister has not changed his statement. He made the previous statement based on facts and information that was available to him at the time. He made his statement truly reflective of the facts that were given to him by the Army at the time. Today, the Defence Ministry made its statement on the basis of the updated facts which it received after the Chief of Army Staff visited Poonch and gathered additional facts of the incident. This is today's statement, that was yesterday's statement. ... Defence Minister's statement reflects the best interest of the country. We have done what was needed and carried out our responsibility today. Ahead, we will do the same," Khurshid said.

Though Antony's updated statement has been welcomed by the BJP, the opposition party has demanded that Parliamentary discussions focus on the incident and have asked for a suspension of talks with Pakistan.