In Kochi, Antony refuses to comment on LoC killings

Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Monday avoided commenting on his so-called altered statement on the LoC killings made in Parliament and on Pakistan's High Commissioner Salman Bashir's statement blaming New Delhi for not informing Islamabad about alleged ceasefire violations.

"When Parliament is in session, I don't want to say anything about my statement in Parliament," he told media here on the sidelines of the launch of India's first indigenously developed aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

The Defence Minister earlier drew a lot of flak for his initial statement to both Houses of Parliament which said that the intruders were "terrorists along with persons dressed in Pakistan Army uniform," while the Indian Army's statement clearly indicated the direct involvement of the Pakistan Army, saying that the perpetrators were "soldiers from the Pakistan Army."

Antony, however, made a made a fresh statement in Parliament earlier on Thursday after being briefed on the facts by Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh.

"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," said Antony.

Antony said that his earlier statement to both Houses of Parliament were made on the basis of facts available to him then, and that now, he was making a fresh and amended statement based on the feedback provided to him by General Bikram Singh after the latter's visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

"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.

The controversy on Antony's original statement broke out after the BJP noted that the Defence Minister's statement contradicted that of the Army.

In an exclusive interview to an English news channel, High Commissioner Bashir blamed the Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) for not informing his Pakistan counterpart about the LoC ceasefire violation.