Rise above politics on soldiers' killing: Tewari

Urging opposition parties to rise above politics, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari Wednesday asked them not to create a rift between Defence Minister A.K. Antony and the defence ministry over the killing of Indian soldiers by Pakistani intruders.

Five Indian soldiers were ambushed and killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch sector early Tuesday.

"It is unfortunate that a difference is being created between the defence minister and the defence ministry. I think the defence minister only tried to present the entire picture based upon inputs which he must have gathered," Tewari said.

"It is extremely unfortunate that when five brave soldiers of the Indian army have been killed and one is injured, we still continue to indulge in parties and politics," he said.

Tewari added that India's foreign policy is an exercise in continuance.

"We need to try and rise above political differences. I think it would serve all of us that we discuss issues which are sensitive, which have a bearing on the morale of the forces and the morale of the nation in a manner which is sober and try and rise above parties and politics on such questions," Tewari told reporters.

Tewari was responding to the Bharatiya Janata Party which demanded that Antony apologise for a statement Tuesday in which he said the attack on Indian soldiers was carried out by 20 heavily-armed terrorists along with persons in Pakistan army uniform.

Meanwhile, a defence ministry statement, also issued Tuesday, said the Pakistan Border Action team was responsible for the killings.