Pranab Mukherjee Speaks To Us........

Mr. Pranab Mukherjee on his Visit to Kolkata yesterday he visited many places, INFOCOM, BHARAT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and ADYAPEETH. Whereever he went we had asked him several questions on West Bengal Political and land acquire agenda, terrorism and Pakistan role in the Mumbai Terror attack. All that he said to media has been jotted down by us and here is what our Minister had to say................

Adopting a wait and watch approach, India today said it will see how long Pakistan takes to complete the investigations into Mumbai terror attacks after Islamabad told it formally that it has initiated actions in this regard."We have received information from our High Commissioner in Islamabad that they (Pakistan) have started the process. Let us see how much time they take," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters here on the sidelines of the AGM of the Bharat Chamber of Commerce.He said that Islamabad has officially communicated to New Delhi that the process of inquiry was launched on January 15.Asked whether Pakistan was testing India's patience, Mukherjee said, "it takes time. Diplomatic performance cannot be like switch on and switch off."I have stated already that we have given them evidence collected since the November 26 attack in Mumbai. We have handed over these papers to the Pakistan authorities," he said.Yesterday, Mukherjee had asked Pakistan to undertake a "full investigation' into the Mumbai attack "in a sincere, transparent and verifiable" manner to unveil the full conspiracy into the terror strikes."There is no question of dilution of our demand of extradition of (those responsible for the terror acts in India)," he had said.Pakistan Foreign Ministry had stated that it conveyed to the Indian High Commissioner "the sequence and series of actions initiated by the government of Pakistan in pursuance of its international obligations as well as those relating to the Mumbai terrorist attacks".

Terrorists, however, mighty and invincible they might appear, will not have the last word and the course of civilisation will be determined by those who talked about peace, love and compassion, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here today."Yes, these forces may be mighty and appear invincible, but as an individual I believe that they cannot say the last word. Therefore, what you should learn is that the last word is said not by those who talk of violence, but by those who talk of love, peace and compassion," Mukherjee said at the third convocation of St Xavier's College here.Mukherjee, who deviated from the printed convocation address, said terrorism was the biggest threat to peace and tranquillity in the post-cold war world."I have tried to figure out, not as the Minister in charge of External Affairs, nor as a Defence Minister, or as a political activist, the reason for this senseless violence. In my own way, I have come to the conclusion that I do not find any rationality in this," he said.Describing the Mumbai violence as "unprecedented in its ferocity and audacity", he called upon the students to ask themselves the reasons for the attack. "Is it to assert any particular right? To achieve a particular political gain? To draw the attention of the community to any particular justice? Has it to do with religion? Does any religion preach this type of terrorism?" He expressed anguish at what he described as efforts by some Western scholars "to raise the pitch against Islamic terrorism," and said, "Islam preaches universal brotherhood. Therefore religion cannot be the reason for terrorism.

Observing that Islam does not have any link with terrorism, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee here today said that sometimes religious texts are misinterpreted to commit terrorist activities."There is no relation between Islam and terrorism.... In fact, no religion has any place for terror," Mukherjee said.Sometimes religious texts are misinterpreted to commit terrorist activities, the minister said."Terrorists are enemies of humanity," he said.Mukherjee said this after inaugurating the Dakshineswar Adyapeeth Ananda Vidyamandir at Adyapeeth.

Terrorists, however, mighty and invincible they might appear, will not have the last word and the course of civilisation will be determined by those who talked about peace, love and compassion, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said here today."Yes, these forces may be mighty and appear invincible, but as an individual I believe that they cannot say the last word. Therefore, what you should learn is that the last word is said not by those who talk of violence, but by those who talk of love, peace and compassion," Mukherjee said at the third convocation of St Xavier's College here.Mukherjee, who deviated from the printed convocation address, said terrorism was the biggest threat to peace and tranquillity in the post-cold war world."I have tried to figure out, not as the Minister in charge of External Affairs, nor as a Defence Minister, or as a political activist, the reason for this senseless violence. In my own way, I have come to the conclusion that I do not find any rationality in this," he said.Describing the Mumbai violence as "unprecedented in its ferocity and audacity", he called upon the students to ask themselves the reasons for the attack. "Is it to assert any particular right? To achieve a particular political gain? To draw the attention of the community to any particular justice? Has it to do with religion? Does any religion preach this type of terrorism?" He expressed anguish at what he described as efforts by some Western scholars "to raise the pitch against Islamic terrorism," and said, "Islam preaches universal brotherhood. Therefore religion cannot be the reason for terrorism."

Virtually Opposing the agitations against land acquisition for economic projects in West Bengal, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said that "industry, roads, railway lines could not be built in the sky"."An atmosphere has been created against acquisition of land. But industry, roads, railway lines and ports cannot be constructed in the sky, it has to come up on land," Mukherjee told the Annual General Meeting of Bharat Chamber of Commerce here.In an obvious reference to agitation by main Opposition Trinamool Congress against land acquisitions in Nandigram and Singur, he said both ruling and opposition parties have a role to play in the development of an economy."Today's Opposition may be the ruling party tomorrow and the ruling party may be in the Opposition. They (Opposition) think when they come to power, they will solve everything with a magic wand. From my little experience, I can say it is not possible."We should not say anything where we have to eat our own words when we come to power," he said.Criticising such agitation, he said the prime minister had ordered the widening of NH 34, but even survey work could not be completed because of opposition to it.

The terror attacks on different cities were not isolated incidents, but carefully designed to challenge India's "sovereignty and national pride", External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said today."The acts of terrorism which has affected our country in the last few months are not a collection of isolated incidents, but carefully designed to challenge our sovereignty and national pride," Mukherjee said at a programme here.If the attacks on Delhi on 13 and 27 September last year were planned to hit "sovereignty", Mukherjee said, the attack on Jaipur (May 13, 2008) was a deliberate attempt to destroy the country's "heritage".The attack on Bangalore on July 25 was an attempt to crush a centre of knowledge and scientific research, while the blast in Ahmedabad was to destroy one of the biggest business hubs of the country, the minister said."The recent terror attacks on Mumbai were nothing but an extension of this plan to destroy the business capital of the country," Mukherjee said."After hearing this one may consider me a suspicious person, but I can't help it. All the targets were carefully chosen to hurt sentiments and the economy of the country," Mukherjee said."Our enemies are jealous of us and they want to reverse the process of our emergence as a powerful nation, but we will foil the design," Mukherjee said