New Delhi:
The killings and mutilation of two Indian soldiers, reportedly by Pakistani troops, near the Line of Control on January 8 have escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.
Here are some of the reactions in the last one week:Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh: After this dastardly act, there can't be business as usual with Pakistan. Those who are responsible for this must be brought to book. I hope Pakistan realises this.
Chief Of Army Staff General Bikram Singh: I have told my unit commanders, sub unit commanders, and gate and other commanders, to retaliate, to be aggressive and offensive when provoked and fired upon. It was a gruesome and unpardonable act. This act defied all logic. This is against the rules of soldiering.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar: We were not very pleasantly surprised by the comments that we heard from many political leaders in India also. I think this is what has changed in Pakistan where India needs to catch up. After the comments by the army chief I am taken back a few 20 years.
Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne: We have a Line of Control, we have a ceasefire agreement, we have certain structures and mechanisms which are sacrosanct and any violation of these with impunity especially what has been happening in the last few months is totally unacceptable. We are monitoring the situation carefully because if these things continue to be the way they are and these violations continue to take place, then perhaps we may have to look at some other options for compliance.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid: Government has deplored this grave provocation and repugnant act of the Pakistan army and called on the Government of Pakistan to carry out a proper investigation of this unacceptable action and ensure that this does not recur. It should not be felt that the brazen denial and the lack of a proper response from the Government of Pakistan to our repeated demarches on this incident will be ignored and that bilateral relations could be unaffected or that there will be business as usual.
Finance Minister P Chidambaram: We are certainly not going to agree to internationalise the issue or allow the United Nations to hold an enquiry. That demand is obviously rejected out of hand.
BJP leader Sushma Swaraj: If his (Hemraj's) head could not be brought back (from Pakistan), we should get at least 10 heads from their side. Today, the nation is demanding don't prove a weak government. They (Pak Army) came on the LoC, killed our soldier and took away his head with them and there should be no reaction...this should not be tolerated at any cost.
National Security Advisor Shivshanker Menon: In 2012 there was an, over all, increase over 2011 and that is a fact. And we are dealing with both ourselves and with Pakistan authorities.
Pakistan army (in a statement): Propaganda to divert the attention of the world from Sunday's raid on a Pakistani post by Indian troops in which a Pakistani soldier was killed.
Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir: Preliminary enquiry by Pakistan rules out Pakistan intrusion and killings by soldiers. We have since yesterday investigated and found that Pakistan troops did not cross the LOC.
US State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland: Our view is that India and Pakistan have made pretty good progress in recent years in working through a number of difficult issues, including opening of the trade relations, et cetera, that they are now engaged at a high level on these recent incidents. If they can work it out themselves, that's obviously best.