"COINCIDING CHALLENGES AND A SOMNOLENT GOVERNMENT"

Three incidents, each important but of varying significance to our Country's prestige, stability and national interest have occurred since this morning. Whether examined, singly or collectively, they constitute a troubling convergence of challenges.  These events are decidedly aggressive in design, in their import, and are against the Indian nation.

The bomb blast in front of Srinagar Assembly, though of a considerably lower lethality is a reminder of the attack on Srinagar Assembly in October 1, 2001.  Today's grenade attack (resulting in injury to a CRPF jawan) occurred when Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Chief Minister of J & K was to seek a vote of confidence. This vote had been occasioned by the PDP's withdrawal of support, which in turn, had been caused by the Shri Amarnath Yatra Shrine Board   matter.  Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, the present CM, has now resigned from the Assembly without facing the Assembly and obtaining a confidence vote.

It needs to be reiterated that the principal demand of the PDP was the cancellation of the land for use by pilgrims, for just 45 to 60 days out of 365 for this annual Yatra.  The J &K Government acquiesced to this unjustified demand of the PDP, and of other elements in the Srinagar valley.  

Despite this surrender, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad failed to have the writ of the J & K Government run.  The PDP got its demand, and as a bonus got their ally out of office, too.  On an artificially incited issue the Congress in the process, sacrificed its Chief Minister, gave in to an untenable demand of the PDP, and lost their government and their prestige.

What kind of statecraft is this on the part of the Congress party; the Prime Minister of India; and the Union Home Ministry on this sensitive issue in the state of Jammu & Kashmir?

The third matter is of a suicide car bomb attack against the compound wall of the Indian embassy in Kabul this morning. This has resulted, reportedly, in the death of 30 people including our Defence Attache and Political Counsellor, and about 140 have been injured.  This occurred even as several Afghans were queuing for obtaining visa's. In the wake of other intimidatory attacks against Indian citizens, what has become a matter of mounting concern to us is the Government of India's total immobility of thought and action in the face of such challenging internal and international questions.

We demand of the Prime Minister to clarify what is more important to him, to the Congress party and to all their supporters from various parties:  Is it the stability, internal order in India and rational national policy, plus the prestige of India their concern or a timid acquiescence in the face of mounting challenges.

A routine statement of concern and condolence etc by the Prime Minister would now be a meaningless exercise.  The Government must explain its policy in full, and to the satisfaction to the citizen's of India.