NEW DELHI, 4 April 2003 — India has hit out at America’s alleged double standard in dealing with terrorism after Washington renewed its call for resumption of Indo-Pakistan dialogue.
In a veiled reference to the US-led war on Iraq in the name of fighting terrorism, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman said yesterday, “The global war against terrorism can only be won when it is pursued without double standard and terrorism is eradicated wherever it exists, without being influenced by short-term political and other considerations.
“The combat against international terrorism is ill-served if threats in some cases are met with military means and in others with calls for restraint and dialogue.”
Taking an apparent dig at United States’ failure to adopt a coherent and globally acceptable approach toward combating terrorism, the spokesman said: “The clarity of the commitment of the international community to combat terrorism requires a coherent and principled approach.”
While India has not officially condemned or criticized United States for its strikes against Iraq, it has asserted that it does support the war. In the wake of the war on Iraq, India’s diplomatic stand against the United States has become more aggressive than before.
Reacting strongly to US Secretary of Colin Powell’s remarks that the US would take up Indo-Pakistan issue after Iraq, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said on Tuesday, “It is our war. I must make it clear that the role of outsiders is limited to cross-border terrorism.”
Meanwhile, India has not reacted to the US State Department’s latest annual human rights report, which in a 79-page section dealing with India comments on religious violence against minorities.
A spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, “There has been no official reaction from the Indian government on the US State Department’s report. Also, there is no reaction likely in the future.”
The 2002 report said the Indian government had “generally” respected the rights of its citizens, but problems remained in the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and in the northeast.
