Cong Hits Out At `Jingoistic' Bjp

The Congress yesterday came out of its initial confusion over the nuclear explosion and its aftermath and blasted the A B Vajpayee government for indulging in jingoism at the cost of national security and India's foreign policy.

There are indications that the Congress may make the foreign policy issue a major debating point in the Budget session.

"BJP ministers seem to feel that international relations are a variety of municipal elections in which sabre-rattling and tall promises are the order of the day," Congress spokesman Salman Khursheed said, adding that "provocation, paranoia and press conferences cannot be substitutes for a sound policy".

The customary pre-session meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party has been called on May 26 where party president Sonia Gandhi is likely to chalk out the course for MPs.

Former Union finance minister Manmohan Singh has already sent a warning signal on the economy, providing ammunition to party MPs for an informed debate. Singh, who heads the economic cell of the Congress, submitted a note on his assessment of the economy to the extended meeting of the Congress Working Committee held a few days back.

Khursheed yesterday said the Prime Minister's statement that it was for Pakistan to come forward for talks and Advani's threat of taking a proactive stance to solve the "unfinished agenda of 1947" would create more problems for Indian security than before.

The government perhaps does not realise the dangers in repudiating of the Simla Agreement which binds both India and Pakistan to settle all disputes amicably and bilaterally, he said. It is under this agreement that India has so far succeeded in not allowing third party mediation in the Kashmir issue, Khursheed said.

Besides, the moment India crossed the line of actual control into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir the first forces it would need to overrun would be those of the UN, Khursheed said. He further said the government should make its position clear on the moratorium on nuclear tests.

Taking serious objection to the government speaking in several voices over important foreign affairs and defence issues, Khursheed said that the "BJP foreign policy orchestra continues to perform" with Prime Minister Vajpayee, home minister Advani, Prime Minister's principal secretary Brajesh Mishra, Prime Minister's political adviser Pramod Mahajan, and defence minister George Fernandes each singing a separate tune.

"But all this has not made the nation any wiser," Khursheed said.