New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Pakistan has not delivered on its promise to bring the 26/11 perpetrators to justice, Home Minister P. Chidambaram has said, adding that Islamabad’s overt support to state and non-state actors involved in cross-border terror has diminished.
In an interview to Doordarshan, Chidambaram said Pakistani ministers had promised him that seven people whose names had been handed over in connection with the 26/11 attack would be arrested and their voice samples delivered.
‘They have not delivered on the promise. The trial has not started. The judge has been changed four or, may be, five times. Now what do I conclude – that Pakistan is not serious about bringing to justice real perpetrators behind 26/11,’ Chidambaram said.
‘I think they have realised that any overt support to state actors or non-state actors, if that is discovered, they will pay a heavy price. So I think overt support has certainly diminished. Covert support, I really can’t make an assessment,’ Chidambaram said.
On reports about facilities provided to Hafiz Sayeed and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi – accused in the 26/11 conspiracy – Chidambaram said Pakistan’s attitude is there for all to see and diminishes its credibility.
‘If this one guy (Lakhvi) is treated with with such kindness, generosity what does say about the credibility of Pakisan’s justice system? It is not only I (who) read about Lakhvi having access to cell phones, the whole world is reading it…I think they should introspect themselves.’
Chidambaram denied there were different voices in the government on Pakistan. He said on issues like liberalisation of the visa regime, exchange of prisoners and fishermen detained on both sides and crossborder trade, India can move the extra mile.
‘But on terror-related issues I don’t think we can do anything but remain firm and make sure that Pakistan delivers.’
While supporting the dialogue process, Chidambaram ruled out any immediate possibility of a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik.
Chidambaram said the country has to be vigilant about militants in Arunachal Pradesh and those that have sanctuary in China.
‘We have to be vigilant about militant groups operating out of Arunachal. We also know that a number of leaders and militant groups have sanctuaries in China. We know there is an armed bazaar on the border of Myanmar and China and Chinese weapons are smuggled through Myanmar into India,’ he said.
On Maoist violence, the minister said more people were killed by the ultra leftwing rebels than in attacks by terrorists. He said 30 people, including three securitymen and 27 civilians, were killed in attacks by Maoists in November.
He said Maoists killed civilians by ‘unfairly and unjustly’ labelling them as police informers. ‘Who gave Communist Party of India-Maoists the right to kill? So I think people must understand that CPI-Maoist is driven by an ideology that believes in an overthrow of the democratic parliament system,’ Chidambaram said.
He said Maoists as a group were more ‘anti-poor than the worst capitalists’.
Asked if he found his present assignment stressful, Chidambaram said he did not feel stressed but it required him to be vigilant all the time.
‘No, I am not stressed internally. But it is a 24X7 job. I do not switch off my mobile. It’s a job in which you have to remain alert and vigilant 24×7. It is why, sometimes, I say half-seriously and half-jokingly that it’s a job for a younger person,’ Chidambaram said.
