Govt opens defence umbrella in Pak face

Vajpayee is expected to meet leaders from the left parties tomorrow to explain the government’s efforts to deal with the situation. The government said though it had launched a diplomatic offensive, more was needed to be done by the international community to put pressure on Pakistan on the issue of terrorist training camps in PoK.

During the hour-long meeting, Sonia’s views on what should be done in the present scenario were sought by the government. She is understood to have pointed out that though her party was privy neither to the intelligence reports nor to the interactions with the international community, the Congress would fully back any move that the government would take to tackle cross-border terrorism.

The Congress chief was also informed that Al-Qaeda and other jehadis were planning to enter the state and may try to disrupt the coming elections.

Soon after the meeting, Sonia consulted senior Congress leaders to review the situation, according to Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma. ‘‘They (Government) have taken us into confidence and we have made our stand clear,’’ Sharma added.

Later in the evening, after the CCS meeting, external affairs minister Jaswant Singh said a ‘‘befitting reply’’ will be given to Pakistan each time it resorted to shelling. ‘‘After the Kaluchak incident, Pakistan resorted to mortar fire in the International Border (IB) sector of Jammu and along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch, killing two people,’’ he said.

‘‘The Indian Army retaliated and caused damage to Pakistani fortifications. If there is mortar or artillery firing by Pakistan, the army will retaliate,’’ Singh said, briefing newspersons after the CCS meeting.

‘‘Putting the paramilitary forces and coast guard under the command of the army and navy is a part of the preparations to ensure that there is only one authority,’’ Singh added. Singh described this step as ‘‘standard operating procedure’’.

Asked whether today’s decision meant that India was preparing for war with Pakistan, Singh said ‘‘you are reading what you have to read, I do what I have to do.’’ To a question whether any surgical strikes were being contemplated in PoK, he said ‘‘I do not discuss plans of the armed forces.’’

Sources in the government insist this does not mean that India is edging closer to war but is a clear indication that the country is preparing for it. ‘‘It is before a conflict that the border guarding forces are put under the operational command of the army and navy. It had been done earlier before the Kargil conflict too,’’ an official said. Singh, however, refused to comment on this.