Pakistan should be diplomatically tackled: Pranab Mukherjee

SILCHAR, April 10: To ignite communal passion for electoral gain, the BJP has initiated a baseless anti-Pakistan tirade that will yield no results. Pakistan has to be tackled diplomatically as the UPA Government did after the Mumbai attack when Islamabad was compelled to admit that the attackers belonged to Pakistan. This was stated by Union External Minister Pranab Mukherjee while addressing an election rally here today.

Addressing a gathering at Morley School playground at Udharbond near Silchar, Mukherjee made a scathing attack on BJP’s policy, which he said, is based on hollow sentiments. He said waging war against a country can never be a solution. He exercised his diplomatic forte to convince the world community that the Mumbai attack had a Pakistan link. In the global scenario, opinion mobilization is a part of strategy to tackle neighbouring countries which are unfortunately “not so friendly”. Mukherjee said the BJP always wants to create a war-like situation to garner political mileage.

Enumerating the UPA’s achievements and NDA’s failure, Mukherjee said there was steady advancement in the field of agriculture, industry, exports and imports in the last five years. The UPA led by the Congress enacted an Act to ensure job guarantee for each and everyone, he added.

Mukherjee made an oblique attack on the Opposition by hinting that the BJP stooped to copy the manifesto of the Congress.

Mukherjee said AUDF candidate Badruddin Ajmal is just an ‘independent candidate’ who is contesting the Silchar seat with the sole aim of ensuring win for the BJP. “But the people can’t be befooled so easily,” Mukherjee said, and added that the people of Silchar were educated enough to understand that in general elections candidates should be chosen from those who had the maximum possibility to figure in the forthcoming Ministry.

Mukherjee, in his day-long tour, addressed at least four public rallies after a meeting with the leading citizens of the town. He was accompanied by Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhubaneswar Kalita and party candidate Sontosh Mohan Dev. THE SENTINEL