New Delhi: A day after AK Antonys statements created furore after he gave clean chit to Pakistan army who allegedly killed five Indian soldiers in ceasefire violation at Poonch sector on August 6, the defence minister on Thursday issued a fresh statement in both the Houses of Parliament.
Based on the briefing by Army Chief General Bikram Singh this morning, the defence minister clarified that a specialist group of the Pakistan Army was involved in the attack.
No attack on the Indian Army is possible without the help of the Pakistani Army, said Antony, adding that the ties with Islamabad will also be reviewed.
“Those in Pakistan who are responsible for this tragedy and the brutal killing of two soldiers earlier this year should not go unpunished. Pakistan should also show determined action to dismantle the terrorist networks, organizations and infrastructure and show tangible movement on bringing those responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attack in November 2008 to justice quickly,” reads the statement issued by defence minister in Lok Sabha.
Our restraint should not be taken for granted, the minister further warned.
He told Pakistan to show determined action against terrorists and book the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks.
Antony had on Tuesday told Parliament that “20 heavily-armed terrorists along with persons in Pakistan Army uniform” were responsible for the killings near the Line of Control.
An earlier Defence Ministry statement – which was withdrawn later – had stated that the ambush was carried out by a Pakistani Border Action Team. It also said that the Pakistan Army was involved in the attack. Pakistani Border Action Teams comprise Pakistani Army regulars and militants.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members disrupted Parliament on Wednesday, saying Antony blamed “terrorists” and people “in military uniform” for the early Tuesday ambush while an earlier Army statement placed the blame on the Pakistan Army.
Top BJP leaders yesterday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and conveyed that the government had created “a big problem” through Antonys statement on the killing of five Indian soldiers.
The BJP said Antony should apologise to the country for having given incorrect information and New Delhi should not hold talks with Islamabad.
Nitish govt “insult” jawans by not attending funeral
Patna: The Nitish Kumar government insulted the slain jawans, who were killed in the attack in Poonch sector, as none of the ministers of the Bihar government attended the funeral on Thursday. Even as Nitish Kumar announced state honours for the martyrs, no minister came to the airport to receive bodies of the soldiers on Wednesday night.
While on the other hand the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has demanded an apology from a senior minister in his government who asked this morning, “What is so special about the funeral of soldiers? It keeps happening.”
The callous remark was made by Bhim Singh, a cabinet minister in the Bihar government, as four of the five jawans killed in a deadly ambush in Kashmir by the Pakistani army were cremated with full state honours in different parts of his state today.
The minister also declared, “People join the army to die” before his party said his comments were unacceptable.
“I apologise and express regret for my colleagues remarks. The whole nation is indebted to the martyrs” said Mr Kumar, who has been derided by the opposition for not attending the funerals. He has been in Delhi since yesterday.
