Prevailing environment not conducive for talks with Pakistan: Rajnath Singh

Chandigarh: Opposing ongoing moves to resume dialogue with Pakistan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh on Monday said the prevailing environment was not conducive for talks.

His statement came a couple of days before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's scheduled visit to New York to attend the UN General Assembly.

The prime minister may hold a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York on the sidelines of UN General Assembly meet.

"When there is no conducive environment for talks, why is this haste being shown to have the meeting. The country wants a clarification on this from the prime minister," Rajnath Singh told media persons in Chandigarh.

The BJP president pointed out that the prime minister, following the 26/11 attack on Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists, had categorically said there would be no talks till Pakistan acts against terror elements. "Why this change in stance," he asked.

Pakistan has violated ceasefire (along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir) more than 100 times so far this year.

"Despite the recent activities by Pakistan, the (UPA) government is not willing to respond," he said.

Referring to "increasing internal and external security crisis" in the country, the BJP president said under the rule of the UPA government, the image of India had become that of a "soft state".

Criticising the government's policy, he said the government had no comprehensive policy to combat terrorism and actions of neighbours Pakistan and China.

"I want to know why economic and diplomatic options are not being used to mount pressure on the neighbours," he added

The BJP president said the UPA government had "led the country to the ICU".

Blaming the UPA government for the economy going "out of control", Rajnath Singh said the economic policies and planning of the government was responsible for this. He added that the government did not want to control corruption.

"The Indian currency is on ventilator, the dollar is on escalator, domestic investor is on the runway and the unemployed youth on the highway," he quipped.