PM calling Gilani 'man of peace' sets off war of words

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh describing his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani as a "man of peace" after their meeting in Maldives on Thursday led to fresh sparring between BJP and Congress in New Delhi.

"The prime minister of India has erred in describing Gilani as a man of peace. The central issue between India and Pakistan has been cross-border terrorism and there is nothing Pakistan has done to warrant the impression that they are serious about tackling the issue," Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said.

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Yashwant Sinha was reacting to the remark of Singh after a meeting with Gilani on the sidelines of the Saarc Summit in Addu in Maldives.

Sinha said the prime minister seemed to be "oblivious" to what his own people were saying.

Congress was quick to denounce Sinha's criticism saying the Opposition party's memory is narrow and it would be better if it first looked into its own track record vis-a-vis Pakistan when National Democratic Alliance was in the power.

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"BJP's memory is not only weak but also very narrow. Before making any such comments, it should look into its own track record. Before making such light comments, BJP should check its knowledge of diplomacy," All India Congress Committee spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

He added, "I want to ask BJP, who took the bus to Lahore. Did nothing happen after the Lahore step. Who attacked on Parliament, the Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir. Then why (the NDA prime minister) Atal Behari Vajpayee invited Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to India. Who gave the certificate of secularism to Muhammad Ali Jinnah?"

Echoing similar views, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said, "Why should somebody feel pained if the prime minister is trying to build peace between two countries."