New Delhi, Dec 05: Making it clear that India wanted the US to put pressure on Pakistan on Mumbai attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said it was the "obligation" of the world community to ensure that perpetrators of the "horrible" crime are brought to justice.
Singh said India will await the "outcome" of its message
to the world before deciding on future course of action with
regard to Pakistan.
"I have impressed upon all the world leaders who called
me that people of India feel a sense of hurt and anger as
never seen before," he told a joint press conference addressed
along with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev here.
"It is the obligation of all concerned to ensure that
perpetrators of this horrible crime are brought to book. That
is our message to everybody and anybody who have come here,"
Singh said.
His response came when asked whether India had requested
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, during her visit here
on Wednesday, to tell Pakistan to arrest Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
chief Hafiz Mohd Saeed.
Underlining that "perpetrators of this crime should be
brought to book", the Prime Minister said this message had
been conveyed to Rice when she came here.
"We will wait for the outcome," Singh said when asked
what options India was considering militarily, politically and
economically with regard to Pakistan.
Rice, who met the Prime Minister besides External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee during her visit here, was provided
with evidence about involvement of Pakistani terrorists in the
Mumbai attacks.
The US has also independently collected evidence which
points to involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists.
Making a veiled reference to Pakistan, Singh said India
as "other relevant countries have come to the same conclusion
that territory of a neighbouring country has been used for
perpetrating this crime (in Mumbai)."
"We expect the world community to recognise ... We expect
the international community to wake up and recognise that
terror anywhere and everywhere constitutes a threat to world
peace and prosperity," the Prime Minister said.
He said he conveyed the "sense of anger and outrage" in
India over the Mumbai attacks to the Russian President during
their talks.
"We both agreed that these attacks represent a threat to
all open and pluralistic societies, and require a major
intensification of efforts against supporters and perpetrators
of terrorism anywhere in the world," Singh said.
Medvedev expressed solidarity with India and said Moscow
stood ready to work with New Delhi, using "all avenues" and
extending all possible assistance in the situation.
Singh appreciated Russia's expression of solidarity with
India at this moment.
Bureau Report