Congress rejects BJP demand to call off Manmohan-Sharif talks

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Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Sep 26 2013 | 6:56 PM IST
Rejecting BJP's demand to call off Prime Ministerial level talks with Pakistan in New York, Congress today said terror strike in Jammu is an attempt to derail the peace process and wondered whether the saffron party also wanted the same.
"Who are opposing PEACE AND DIALOGUE ? Only militants, BJP and drawing room hawks and some hawkish elements in media," Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh tweeted.
Party's communication department Chairman Ajay Maken said these attacks were not incidental but "deliberate and diabolical" attempts to derail peace, by people who stand to gain out of unrest.
"The timing of today's terror attacks clearly indicates that the people behind it do not want peace process. Does BJP also wants the same?" he said.
Party spokesperson Raj Babbar and Singh also reminded BJP of the Lahore bus journey initiative by NDA's Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpyee and continuation of Indo-Pak talks after Kargil war during that regime.
The reactions of Congress came as the Opposition party upped the ante demanding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cancel his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York on Sunday.
"The party (BJP), which is saying so is only reflecting politics and haste behind it. Even the terrorists do not want that talks are held. If some more people are saying, they should think....Should we accept what the terrorists want. We will not allow this to happen," Babbar told reporters here.
He also said that "we should have faith in the wisdom of the Prime Minister. We should not be saying anything on it. Whateter is appropriate will be done.
"We should have faith in the wisdom of the Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister...You should have patience. Let the PM come back. Let the PM say something. We will understand what are his views".
Digvijay Singh categorically said that "dialogue is the only way to tackle issues".
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First Published: Sep 26 2013 | 6:56 PM IST

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