NEW DELHI(PTI): India’s main opposition party, the Right Wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sept.30, criticized the statement of American President, Bill Clinton, describing the situation in the Kashmir valley asa”bloody ethnic conflict.”
Party spokesperson, Sushma Swaraj, said this was an “unacceptable interference in India’s Internal Affairs. [tis an unfriendly act on the part of the USA.” She said the situation in the valley was the consequence of Pakistan aiding and abetting terronsm and insurgent activity there. “In no sense is it an ethnic conflict.”
The party felt that this statement of Clinton “in fact lends encouragement to violence, and to Pak aided terrorism. This, to say the least, is ironical when U_S_A, Until lately was considering declaring Pakistan a terrorist Slate.”
She said that such a statement by the U.S. was possible only on count of the failure of the Narasimha Rao government {0 safeguard India’s national inter ests.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 8, 1993
