Samajwadi Party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav speaks about the Centre’s wrong stand on Pakistan to The New Indian Express Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla during Teekhi Baat on IBN7. Excerpts:
Are you with or against the government? Your identity is confusing.
There should be no confusion. From the first day we said that we are supporting the government from outside. But on issues which we feel are not in the interest of people, we will oppose them, which we are doing even today.
You are supporting the government from outside. You were not in government earlier, and there is no conditional support.
Yes, there is no conditional support.
It seems that SP feels the government is doing good work, hence it should continue, even when Pakistani army people come and kill.
Our people protested first even on that issue. Be it Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, we have protested.
On the Pakistan issue, do you feel what the government did was right.
No, what the government did was absolutely wrong. Government should not have shown such weakness. We feel the reaction of the government to the things done by China and Pakistan to our country has led our pride to dust.
Are you satisfied with Antony’s statement?
Am not at all satisfied. You would have heard me in Rajya Sabha. In the first sentence I said that your statement gave an escape route to Pakistan. You corroborated what Pakistan always said and gave statement.
You mean to say Pakistan’s and India’s statement was almost the same?
Pakistan said we are not doing and you said that some people and terrorists were wearing Pakistan Army dresses; this is a job of saving Pakistan.
It seemed that he is saving Pakistan.
When the army said that papers were brought forward, which stated that where the incident took place, in Poonch, the Jammu army head issued a press release, which stated terrorists and Pakistan army people attacked. And after that there was a suo moto statement from Defence Minister, in which he said that terrorists were in Pakistani army dress. Later, in the evening, army had to change its statement, and they had to regret, this is an odd situation.
Antony’s statement demoralised the army
He not only demoralised the army, but the people of the whole country.
In Durga Shakti matter, will you withdraw her suspension?
If her explanation is satisfactory, then officers who are investigating, be it Durga Shakti Nagpal or any IAS, they are part of the government family, nobody is an enemy. Justice would be done...