By IANS,
New Delhi : A day after the US warned Pakistan of the limits to India’s patience in the event of another Mumbai-like attack, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Thursday said the government would have to be prepared to meet any eventuality.
“Yes, that is a worrying development because having been a victim of an earlier attack, gone through the anguish, the agony, the trauma, I think India certainly will have to be prepared to meet any such eventuality,” he told reporters.
Krishna was responding to a question on US Defence Secretary Robert Gates’ remarks Wednesday that it would be extremely difficult for India to show “restraint and statesmanship” if another 26/11 attack was repeated.
“Of course, the defence forces and the home ministry are in close touch and coordination with the external affairs ministry and it will be our endeavour to maintain peace and tranquility within India,” he said.
Gates Wednesday had warned India about the possibility of more terror strikes from the Al Qaeda and the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Appreciating India’s restraint after the Mumbai attacks in 2008, Gates had said: “The situation is complicated in the region. The terrorists operations intend to destabilise the region and a 26/11 type of attack on India will test New Delhi’s patience.”
“The LeT which is operating in league with the Al Qaeda is dangerous for the whole region of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India,” he had said.
At the height of tensions between the two neighbours following the Mumbai massacre, allegedly masterminded and executed by Pakistani militants, India had ruled out war as an option. Instead New Delhi has asked Islamabad repeatedly to punish the terrorists linked to the Mumbai carnage and dismantle the larger anti-India infrastructure on its territory.