Congress accuses NSA of creating confusion

The Congress on Monday accused National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval of creating confusion over sensitive issues of national security.

"The NSA is reported to have said in an interview that 'no peace talks now till Pakistan takes action against Pathankot terrorists and India is satisfied with Pakistan's efforts'.

"Later, he denied having given an interview to the publication. This self-contradictory statement was in reference to the foreign secretary-level talks scheduled for January 15," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told media persons here.

"The NSA has further compounded and confounded the confusion that seems to have become this government's hallmark as far as dealing with extremely serious and sensitive issues of national security is concerned," he added.

He also sought to know from the government whether the foreign secretary-level talks scheduled for January 15 were happening or not.

Posing a few more questions to the government, Singhvi asked: "What are the 'actionable proofs and evidences' that they have given to Pakistan?

"Has the government of Pakistan acted on these evidences and to what extent?

"Is the government satisfied by Pakistan's actions on the actionable evidences?"

He further asked: "Are these actions sufficient enough to surmount the earlier stand of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj that entails 'talks and terror can't go ahead simultaneously? Can the nation expect a clear statement by the external affairs minister or its spokesperson on this issue?"