New Delhi, Feb 16 (UNI) Notwithstanding a united face displayed by political parties and also the government after the all-party meet here on Saturday, certain differences did surface during the deliberations.
Parties like Trinamool Congress and National Conference reportedly 'watered down' all-party resolution while Sena MP Sanjay Raut told journalists that "Surgical strike is a thing of past and perhaps inadequate".
"If surgical strike was good enough deterrent for Pakistan than Pulwama would not have happened," he remarked.
At the meeting convened by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, several opposition parties maintained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have chaired the all-party meeting.
In fact, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad
of Congress later said, 'We have requested the Home Minister to request the Prime Minister to meet party presidents of all national and regional parties for a meeting. This was supported by other parties too".
This stance was endorsed by D Raja of CPI, who said Prime Minister should meet all parties including regional and smaller parties.
Shiv Sena nominee at the meet Sanjay Raut upped the ante against Pakistan "in specific sense and and more ways than one" and said it is high time Prime Minister 'walks the talk'.
"Time has again come to teach Pakistan another lesson like in 1971......We should learn from what Indira Gandhi did," reportedly he made the remarks.
D Raja also said that issues concerning 'communal tension' in Jammu region and in some other places - especially against Muslims - also figured at the deliberations.
"Home Minister Rajnath Singhji assured that communal harmony should be maintained in all places," Mr Raja said.
There were also reports that National Conference and Trinamool Congress suggested at the meeting that there should be a 'watered down' version of the official resolution.
BJP sources have, however, insisted that the purpose of the meeting was to adopt an unanimous resolution. "We achieved that mission," another source said.
At the meeting, Union Home Minister said the sacrifices made by security forces will not go in vain and the country is united in its fight against terrorism.
"The government is determined to root out terrorism from our soil and including Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Mr Singh said this meeting has sent a message to the global community that the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, speaks in "one voice on matters of national interest and security".
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said: "Government of India, from the very beginning, has followed a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and this cowardly terrorist attack displays a sense of frustration in the terrorists due to this policy only".
UNI DEVN AR 1817