Congress slams Miliband

A day after the Centre told David Miliband to keep his “unsolicited advice on Kashmir to himself”, the Congress also slammed him for linking the Mumbai terrorist strike to the Kashmir issue. The rebuke is significant as it comes soon after Miliband’s visit to Amethi as a guest of Rahul Gandhi.

The British foreign minister had said in an article in The Guardian newspaper that one way of resolving the problem of terrorism between India and Pakistan was to resolve the Kashmir issue. The comment provoked a sharp reaction from the government as well as the political leadership of the country. “We expect restraint, better awareness and greater sensitivity from a high government functionary of a friendly country,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said.

The Congress also urged Miliband not to apply different yardsticks, reminding him of the summer 2005 terror strikes in the UK. “When those strikes took place, nobody looked for the reason,” Singhvi said.

The Congress also said statements such as the one issued by Miliband tended to dilute the unity built after 26/11.

The party appeared embarrassed by the fact that Miliband’s comment came when he was in the company of AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi. It clarified that the visit was prearranged and had nothing to do with the foreign minister’s comment. “He is entitled to his comment but the significant part is, it is at variance with the stand of the British government,” Singhvi said.