TIMES NEWS NETWORK
WASHINGTON: Conveying India's anguish and outrage about the latest terrorist attack in Kashmir to the United States in very strong terms, Prime Minister Vajpayee on Monday cautioned Pakistan that "there is a limit to the patience of the people of India."
The warning is contained in an extraordinary letter the Prime Minister has written to President George Bush that was delivered on Monday afternoon by external affairs minister Jaswant Singh personally to the US President. The tone of the letter is so grave that Bush himself dropped in during a 75-minute meeting Singh had at the White House with National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice at the White House.
The US President stayed for 40 minutes discussing the latest developments relating to terrorism with Singh. Emerging grim-faced from the meeting, Singh said he had a "very candid and productive" discussion which left him with no doubt that the United States would address the issue of terrorism everywhere and not just that which affected America.
In his letter to President Bush, Prime Minister Vajpayee minced no words in directly blaming Pakistan for the latest massacre in the Kashmir Assembly.
"There has been understandable anger in the country at this wanton act of violence".Incidents of this kind raise questions for our security which, as a democratically elected leader of India, I have to address in our supreme national interest," Vajpayee wrote.
"Pakistan must understand that there is a limit to the patience of the people of India," he added.
By emphasising his position as the elected leader of India and pointing out that the terrorists had attacked the "state parliament," Vajpayee appeared to make clear his misgivings about Washington allying itself so readily with the military ruler of Pakistan.
The Prime Minister said that a Pakistan-based organisation, Jaish-e Mohamed, had claimed responsibility for the attack and had even named a Pakistani national based in Pakistan as one of the suicide bombers involved. Yet the President of Pakistan was telling the world through television interviews that Pakistan has no terrorist groups operating from its territory.
Following Vajpayee's letter, which he ended by saying he had asked his external affairs Minister "to convey to you more fully our sentiments in this regard," Jaswant Singh is understood to have told the administration about the rising public anger at home at the wanton acts of terrorism being promoted by a state that has been patently militaristic towards India.
Despite the grave atmosphere that surrounded the meeting, Indian officials said they found the US fully understanding about New Delhi's concerns.
Vajpayee in fact prefaced what was virtually a warning to Pakistan conveyed through the United States. That India understood Washington "discharging your core responsibility for the interest and security of the American people." But India has its own concerns that could not be ignored.
"We are with you and do not wish to overload the agenda in any way. However, incidents of this kind raise questions for our security", Vajpayee wrote.
In effect, New Delhi appears to be preparing ground for retaliating against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, particularly since the United Nations too has signaled that it expects all member countries to crack down on terrorism from its home soil or face action.
Jaswant Singh in fact gave some hint of what could be in store by saying that terrorism directed against India was India's own problem and it would handle it itself.
India's strong response came on a day when the US media revealed that the money trail associated with the terrorist attack on America led to Pakistan. A delegation of US Congressmen also blamed Pakistan for terrorists attacks on Americans.
The warning is contained in an extraordinary letter the Prime Minister has written to President George Bush that was delivered on Monday afternoon by external affairs minister Jaswant Singh personally to the US President. The tone of the letter is so grave that Bush himself dropped in during a 75-minute meeting Singh had at the White House with National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice at the White House.
The US President stayed for 40 minutes discussing the latest developments relating to terrorism with Singh. Emerging grim-faced from the meeting, Singh said he had a "very candid and productive" discussion which left him with no doubt that the United States would address the issue of terrorism everywhere and not just that which affected America.
In his letter to President Bush, Prime Minister Vajpayee minced no words in directly blaming Pakistan for the latest massacre in the Kashmir Assembly.
"There has been understandable anger in the country at this wanton act of violence".Incidents of this kind raise questions for our security which, as a democratically elected leader of India, I have to address in our supreme national interest," Vajpayee wrote.
"Pakistan must understand that there is a limit to the patience of the people of India," he added.
By emphasising his position as the elected leader of India and pointing out that the terrorists had attacked the "state parliament," Vajpayee appeared to make clear his misgivings about Washington allying itself so readily with the military ruler of Pakistan.
The Prime Minister said that a Pakistan-based organisation, Jaish-e Mohamed, had claimed responsibility for the attack and had even named a Pakistani national based in Pakistan as one of the suicide bombers involved. Yet the President of Pakistan was telling the world through television interviews that Pakistan has no terrorist groups operating from its territory.
Following Vajpayee's letter, which he ended by saying he had asked his external affairs Minister "to convey to you more fully our sentiments in this regard," Jaswant Singh is understood to have told the administration about the rising public anger at home at the wanton acts of terrorism being promoted by a state that has been patently militaristic towards India.
Despite the grave atmosphere that surrounded the meeting, Indian officials said they found the US fully understanding about New Delhi's concerns.
Vajpayee in fact prefaced what was virtually a warning to Pakistan conveyed through the United States. That India understood Washington "discharging your core responsibility for the interest and security of the American people." But India has its own concerns that could not be ignored.
"We are with you and do not wish to overload the agenda in any way. However, incidents of this kind raise questions for our security", Vajpayee wrote.
In effect, New Delhi appears to be preparing ground for retaliating against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, particularly since the United Nations too has signaled that it expects all member countries to crack down on terrorism from its home soil or face action.
Jaswant Singh in fact gave some hint of what could be in store by saying that terrorism directed against India was India's own problem and it would handle it itself.
India's strong response came on a day when the US media revealed that the money trail associated with the terrorist attack on America led to Pakistan. A delegation of US Congressmen also blamed Pakistan for terrorists attacks on Americans.