Congress not opposed to talks with Pakistan

Congress today backed the government's decision to go ahead with the foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan even after the Pune blast, saying the party is not opposed to it.

"Government of India in its wisdom has taken a decision to go ahead for talks (with Pakistan) on February 25. We are not opposing the decision of the government," party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told reporters here.

Asked whether there could be a change in the government's stand if investigations into the blast point a finger towards Pakistan's involvement, Ahmad said, "Government of India has all the information. Whatever the government decides, we will stand by it."

When reminded of party president Sonia Gandhi's remark that there is no point of dialogue till Pakistan shows concrete steps on anti-terror fronts made last year at the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting, Ahmad said, "Government must have kept these words of the CPP chairperson in the mind before taking the decision on the talks.

"Maybe some other reasons made the government decide to go for the talks," he said when asked whether changes in the bilateral relations were so concrete as to take the decision. 

He further said, "We as a party were expecting more concrete action on the part of Pakistan." 

At the same time, Ahmed maintained, "Change has happened in the situation after the 26/11 attacks that prompted the government to initiate the talks...some improvement was there... For the first time Pakistan accepted terror activities happened from its own soil."

Ahmad also said the government will definitely initiate discussions and take actions which are required if Pakistan's involvement in the blast comes to the fore.

"If there is any concrete evidence of involvement of elements or government agencies of Pakistan, the government may consider it,"he said when asked whether India can call off talks if there is clear evidence of Pakistan's involvement.

He, however, evaded a direct reply on a query whether it was a diplomatic failure on the part of the Indian government in not being able to get David Coleman Headley for interrogation by its security agencies saying "facts are with the government. What efforts were exerted by the government of India, I do not know."

Asked whether it was intelligence failure at the level of central government or the state failed to act, he said, "It's between two governments." 

He said the party wants the government to talk to other countries for bringing those who have been found involved in terror acts here before Indian investigating agencies for quizzing.

Terming the Pune blast "an act of cowardice", he said the government should make all efforts to punish the perpetrators.

"We want the government to deeply probe the incident and those behind it should not only be identified but all possible steps should be taken to punish them," he said. 

Refuting suggestions that India agreed for talks under pressure, Ahmad attacked BJP and Shiv Sena over their remarks saying, "Congress condemns efforts by BJP and Shiv Sena to politicise the issue and using such unfortunate incidents as tools to get political mileage."