Hostage crisis: V P Singh calls for consensus

In the backdrop of a slugfest of charges between the Congress and the BJP on the issue of terrorism, former PM VP Singh said on Saturday that PM Manmohan Singh should call a meeting of all political parties after the Gujarat elections to evolve a consensus on what the Government should do in case of a hostage crisis.

Addressing the press, Singh said he saw no parallel between the Kandahar episode and the release of terrorists to secure the release of Rubaiyya Sayeed in 1989. In the war of words between the two parties, Congress had targeted the BJP for swapping of terrorists for the release of hostages in Kandahar.

According to Singh, when Rubaiyya was kidnapped, they kidnappers demanded the release of top ranking terrorists, but the then government did not concede. The government did not budge even when the kidnappers demanded the release of 8220;second grade8221; terrorists only agreeing to the release of 8220;third rankers8221;.

8220;But what is the use of all this? Why can8217;t we political parties sit? Call army officers, people8217;s representatives and human rights activists and frame a policy on this,8221; he said.