Search the Internet          Tips

India wants real action
against LeT, Jaish

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

The Indian government has rejected the idea that the change in the leadership of Lashkar-e-Tayiba means that the terrorist organisation has now become a Kashmiri terrorist outfit.

Minister of State for Home Affairs I D Swami told rediff.com on Tuesday said till the time Pakistan continues to lend moral, political, financial and armed assistance to Let, it makes no difference to India as to who heads the organisation.

He was commenting on the reported resignation of Lashkar-e-Tayiba chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and appointment of a twelve-member council headed by Abdul Wahid Kashmiri to run the group's activities.

"Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is on record saying that the government of Pakistan would continue to lend moral, political, financial and armed support to terrorists organisations. They may call them freedom fighters, but we call them terrorist organisations. Saeed may have stepped down and installed someone else as Lashkar chief. It makes no difference to us because we know that all the terrorist organisations, whether it is Lashkar, Jaish or Hizbul, they are all controlled by Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence," Swami said.

He ridiculed the Pakistani leadership which has been telling the world that the jehadis are fighting a battle for freedom in Kashmir.

"They recently killed five women in Kashmir...is this jehad?" he asked.

When asked if he thought the Indo-Pak crisis could take the shape of a war, Swami said it would be too early to say anything on that account. "The government is keeping an eye on the developments," he said.

Complete Coverage: The Attack on Parliament

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report