PM: internal divides only strengthening enemy

A DAY after Pakistan was reported to have mobilised its troops across the border, New Delhi said it will 8220;rise to the challenge8221; and those who want to see India diminished will be 8220;disappointed8221;.

A DAY after Pakistan was reported to have mobilised its troops across the border, New Delhi said it will 8220;rise to the challenge8221; and those who want to see India diminished will be 8220;disappointed8221;. He also cautioned the political parties in the country to eschew communalism, as these 8220;internal divides8221; were strengthening 8220;enemies8221;.

Delivering the 29th Bhimsen Sachar memorial lecture here, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, 8220;Those who wish to weaken our unity and hurt our nation should remember that India has always endured and emerged stronger.8221; Without referring to the previous conflicts between the two nations, Singh said, 8220;The force of history is on our side. Those who wish to see us diminished will be disappointed. India knows how to rise to a challenge. It will.8221;

The Prime Minister had, on Friday, held a meeting of the three services chiefs to discuss the defence preparedness and the security situation in the wake of the reports of troop mobilisation across the border.

Singh8212;in a veiled reference to the involvement of Hindu terror groups in the Malegaon blasts which is being used by Pakistan8212;urged, 8220;I urge all political parties to eschew the temptation of focusing on narrow agendas8230; want every Indian to fight the cancer of communalism8230;these internal divides weaken us, these internal divides also strengthen our enemies. This has always been our bane. Those who seek to harm us do so by exploiting our internal weaknesses.8221;

Earlier in the day, at Berhampore in West Bengal, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee asked Pakistan not to deflect attention from the real issue of terrorism by whipping up a war hysteria. 8220;I appeal to Pakistan and Pakistani leaders, do not unnecessarily try to create tension. Do not try to deflect attention from the issue. A problem has to be tackled face-to-face. Evading a problem will not help to get rid of it,8221; Mukherjee said.

8220;It is unfortunate that an atmosphere has been created in Pakistan, some sort of war hysteria8230; The issue is how to prevent terrorism. The issue is how to direct the international community to face the terrorist challenge and eliminate terrorism from the face of the world,8221; Mukherjee said. The 8220;unprecedented scale, magnitude, ferocity and audacity8221; with which the Mumbai attacks were carried out 8220;clearly demonstrated that it was not only preplanned but also well planned8221;, he said.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the Prime Minister and asked India to continue the dialogue with Pakistan to defuse the situation.